Jacobs' 1Q Earnings In Line - Analyst Blog
January 24 2013 - 7:50AM
Zacks
Jacobs Engineering Group
Inc. (JEC) reported modest fiscal first-quarter 2013
(ending Dec 28, 2012) financial results. Though earnings came in
line with the Zacks expectations, the quarter’s revenues fell short
of the Zacks Consensus Estimate.
The company reported first quarter
earnings per share of 76 cents, in line with the Zacks Consensus
Estimate. The quarterly earnings improved 8.6% from the year-ago
earnings of 70 cents a share, due to improvement in revenue as well
as margins.
Revenue
Revenue increased 4.9% year over
year to $2.6 billion in the reported quarter. However, it fell
short of the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2.8 billion by 2.4%.
Technical Professional Services revenue came in at $1.6 billion,
compared with $1.5 billion in the year-ago quarter. Field Services
revenue in first quarter was $1.2 billion, compared with $1.1
billion in the first quarter of 2012.
Costs/Margin
During the reported quarter, direct
costs of contracts, a major expenditure for Jacobs, edged up 5.1%
from the year-ago quarter to settle at $2.3 billion. Selling,
general and administrative (SG&A) expenses came in at $275.4
million, down 1.3% year over year.
Operating profit improved to $160.3
million, an increase of 12.9% over the year-ago quarter. Operating
margin reached 5.8% compared wit 5.4% in the year-ago quarter.
Backlog
Exiting the quarter, backlog stood
at $16.2 billion, an increase of 11.8% from $14.5 billion in the
year-ago quarter. It includes backlog from technical professional
services of $10.4 billion versus $9.5 billion at the end of the
first quarter of 2012, with the remaining pouring in from Field
Services.
The company has won a number of
contracts in the quarter, including a contract to support Air Force
Material Command (Oct 16, 2012, worth $27 million); another
contract from NASA Stennis Space Centre in Mississippi to provide
modification services (Oct 23, 2012, worth $15 million), yet
another from NAVFAC Mid-Atlantic to provide engineering services
(Nov 27, 2012, worth $30 million), among many others.
Balance Sheet
Jacobs’ cash and cash equivalents
at the end of first quarter were approximately $1.2 billion, a
whopping increase of 20.3% from the previous quarter. Total debt
decreased 1.9% sequentially to $518.2 million as of Dec 28,
2012.
Outlook
Based on the modest results for the
first quarter, Jacobs maintains its earnings expectation for fiscal
2013 to range between $3.00 and $3.50 per share, with the Zacks
Consensus Estimate of $3.30. Management also sees ample
opportunities to increase market share as end markets see
significant improvement.
Jacobs is one of the world's
largest and most diverse providers of technical, professional and
construction services. Close competitor Fluor
Corporation (FLR) is expected to report fourth quarter
2012 results on Feb 25, 2013, with the Zacks Consensus Estimate
standing at of 70 cents. Jacobs currently holds a Zacks Rank #3
(Hold). Peers Willdan Group (WLDN) and
National Technical Systems Inc. (NTSC) are
currently doing well and are worth considering. Both the stocks
hold a Zacks Rank #2 (Buy).
FLUOR CORP-NEW (FLR): Free Stock Analysis Report
JACOBS ENGIN GR (JEC): Free Stock Analysis Report
(NTSC): ETF Research Reports
(WLDN): ETF Research Reports
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