The Hackett Group Announces Second Quarter 2023 Results

The Hackett Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: HCKT), a leading benchmarking, research advisory and strategic consultancy firm that enables organizations to achieve Digital World Class performance, today announced its financial results for the second quarter, which ended on June 30, 2023.

Financial Highlights

• Total revenue in the second quarter of 2023 was $77.1 million and revenue before reimbursements was $75.6 million, which was above the high end of our guidance. This compares to total revenue of $75.9 million and revenue before reimbursements of $74.8 million in the second quarter of the prior year.

• GAAP diluted earnings per share was $0.32 in both the second quarter of 2023 and 2022.

• Second quarter 2023 adjusted diluted earnings per share, a non-GAAP measure, was $0.39, which was at the high end of our guidance, as compared to $0.38 in the second quarter of 2022. Adjusted financial information is provided to enhance the understanding of the Company’s financial performance and is reconciled to the Company’s GAAP information in the accompanying tables.

• As of June 30, 2023, the Company’s cash balances were $15.8 million, with a $53.0 million outstanding balance on the Company’s credit facility. During the second quarter of 2023, the Company paid down $5.0 million of its debt balance. As of the end of the second quarter of 2023, the Company's remaining share repurchase program authorization was $13.9 million.

• Subsequent to the end of the second quarter, the Company’s Board of Directors declared its third quarter 2023 dividend of $0.11 per share for its shareholders of record on September 22, 2023, to be paid on October 6, 2023.

“We reported solid operating results with 8% sequential revenue growth while continuing to increase our investment in program development and sales resources in our recurring high margin executive advisory and market intelligence offerings,” stated Ted A. Fernandez, Chairman & CEO of The Hackett Group, Inc. “More importantly, the current momentum is expected to continue into the third quarter and bodes well for the balance of the year.”

Business Outlook for the Third Quarter of 2023

Based on the Company’s current outlook:

• The Company estimates total revenue before reimbursements for the third quarter of 2023 will be in the range of $72.8 million to $74.3 million.

• The Company estimates adjusted diluted earnings per share for the third quarter of 2023 to be in the range of $0.38 and $0.41, assuming a GAAP effective tax rate of 27.5%.

Conference Call and Webcast Details

• On Tuesday, August 8, 2023, senior management will discuss second quarter results in a conference call at 5:00 P.M. ET. The number for the conference call is [phone], [Passcode: Second Quarter]. For International callers, please dial [phone]. Please dial in at least 5-10 minutes prior to start time. If you are unable to participate on the conference call, a rebroadcast will be available beginning at 8:00 P.M. ET on Tuesday, August 8, 2023 and will run through 5:00 P.M. ET on Tuesday, August 22, 2023. To access the rebroadcast, please dial [phone]. For International callers, please dial [phone].

• In addition, The Hackett Group will also be webcasting this conference call live. To participate, simply visit https://www.thehackettgroup.com approximately 10 minutes prior to the start of the call and click on the conference call link provided. An online replay of the call will be available after 8:00 P.M. ET on Tuesday, August 8, 2023 and will run through 5:00 P.M. ET on Tuesday, August 22, 2023. To access the replay, visit www.thehackettgroup.com.

Use of Non-GAAP Financial Measures

The Company provides adjusted earnings results (which exclude the loss from discontinued operations, non-cash stock-based compensation expense, acquisition-related compensation expense, acquisition-related non-cash stock-based compensation expense, restructuring charges and reversals, amortization of intangible assets and includes a GAAP tax rate) as a complement to results provided in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). These non-GAAP results are provided to enhance the users' overall understanding of the Company's current financial performance and its prospects for the future. The Company believes the non-GAAP results provide useful information to both management and investors and by excluding certain expenses that it believes are not indicative of its core operating results. The non-GAAP measures are included to provide investors and management with an alternative method for assessing operating results in a manner that is focused on the performance of its ongoing primary operations and to provide a consistent basis for comparison between quarters. Further, these non-GAAP results are one of the primary indicators management uses for planning and forecasting. The presentation of this additional non-GAAP information should be considered in addition to, and not as a substitute for or superior to, any results prepared in accordance with GAAP. See the reconciliation of actual results titled “Reconciliation of GAAP to Non-GAAP Measures” in the accompanying tables.

The Company believes that the presentation of non-GAAP financial information on a forward-looking basis, including the guidance contained in this release, provides important supplemental information to management and investors regarding its anticipated results of operations. The Company is unable to provide a reconciliation of GAAP measures to corresponding forward-looking non-GAAP measures without unreasonable effort due to the high variability and low visibility of most of the items that have been excluded from these non-GAAP measures. For example, non-cash stock-based compensation expense is impacted by the Company’s future hiring needs, the type and volume of equity awards necessary for such future hiring, and the price at which the Company’s stock will trade in those future periods. In addition, the provision or benefit for income taxes is impacted by non-recurring income tax adjustments, valuation allowance on deferred tax assets, and the income tax effect of non-GAAP exclusions. The effects of these reconciling items may be significant, as the items that are being excluded are difficult to predict.

About The Hackett Group

The Hackett Group, Inc. (NASDAQ: HCKT) is a leading benchmarking, research advisory and strategic consultancy firm that enables organizations to achieve Digital World Class performance.

Drawing upon our unparalleled intellectual property from more than 25,000 benchmark studies and our Hackett-Certified best practices repository from the world’s leading businesses – including 97% of the Dow Jones Industrials, 93% of the Fortune 100, 73% of the DAX 40 and 52% of the FTSE 100 – captured through our leading benchmarking platform Quantum Leap and our Digital Transformation Platform, we accelerate digital transformations, including enterprise cloud implementations.

For more information on The Hackett Group, visit: https://www.thehackettgroup.com/; email [e-mail]; or call [phone].

The Hackett Group, Hackett-Certified, quadrant logo, World Class Defined and Enabled, Quantum Leap, Digital World Class and Hackett Value Matrix are the registered marks of The Hackett Group.

Cautionary Statement Regarding “Forward-Looking” Statements

This release contains “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. Statements including without limitation, words such as “expects,” “anticipates,” “intends,” “plans,” “believes,” seeks,” “estimates,” or other similar phrases or variations of such words or similar expressions indicating, present or future anticipated or expected occurrences or outcomes are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. Forward-looking statements are not statements of historical fact and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause the Company’s actual results, performance or achievements to be materially different from the results, performance or achievements expressed or implied by the forward-looking statements. Factors that may impact such forward-looking statements include without limitation, the ability of The Hackett Group to effectively market its digital transformation and other consulting services, competition from other consulting and technology companies that may have or develop in the future, similar offerings, the commercial viability of The Hackett Group and its services as well as other risk detailed in The Hackett Group’s reports filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission. The Hackett Group does not undertake any duty to update this release or any forward-looking statements contained herein.

The Hackett Group, Inc.
CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS
(in thousands, except per share data)
(unaudited)
	Quarter Ended								Six Months Ended
	June 30,				July 1,				June 30,			July 1,
		2023				2022				2023			2022
Revenue:
Revenue before reimbursements	$	75,641			$	74,768			$	145,472		$	149,876
Reimbursements		1,461				1,160				2,859			1,716
Total revenue		77,102				75,928				148,331			151,592
Costs and expenses:
Cost of service:
Personnel costs before reimbursable expenses (includes $1,643 and $3,169 and $1,483 and $3,149 of non-cash stock based compensation expense in the three and six months ended June 30, 2023 and July 1, 2022, respectively)		45,426				44,701				88,569			92,034
Reimbursable expenses		1,461				1,160				2,859			1,716
Total cost of service		46,887				45,861				91,428			93,750
Selling, general and administrative costs (includes $1,129 and $2,050 and $1,235 and $2,168 of non-cash stock based compensation expense in the three and six months ended June 30, 2023 and July 1, 2022, respectively)		17,425				15,886				32,861			30,252
Total costs and operating expenses		64,312				61,747				124,289			124,002
Operating income		12,790				14,181				24,042			27,590
Other expense, net:
Interest expense, net		(921	)			(28	)			(1,780	)		(56	)
Income from operations before income taxes		11,869				14,153				22,262			27,534
Income tax expense		3,149				3,938				5,381			6,814
Net income	$	8,720			$	10,215			$	16,881		$	20,720
Basic net income per common share:
Income per common share from operations	$	0.32			$	0.32			$	0.62		$	0.66
Weighted average common shares outstanding		27,192				31,652				27,109			31,551
Diluted net income per common share:
Income per common share from operations	$	0.32			$	0.32			$	0.62		$	0.65
Weighted average common and common equivalent shares outstanding		27,548				32,221				27,408			32,032

CONDENSED CONSOLIDATED BALANCE SHEETS
(in thousands)
(unaudited)
			June 30,			December 30,
			2023			2022
	ASSETS
	Current assets:
	Cash		$	15,834		$	30,255
	Accounts receivable and contract assets, net			57,797			48,376
	Prepaid expenses and other current assets			3,203			2,535
	Total current assets			76,834			81,166
	Property and equipment, net			19,856			19,359
	Other assets			285			268
	Goodwill			84,148			83,502
	Operating lease right-of-use assets			1,804			698
	Total assets		$	182,927		$	184,993
	LIABILITIES AND SHAREHOLDERS' EQUITY
	Current liabilities:
	Accounts payable		$	5,475		$	8,741
	Accrued expenses and other liabilities			22,342			30,953
	Contract liabilities			14,452			13,278
	Income tax payable			3,373			5,759
	Operating lease liabilities			1,226			870
	Total current liabilities			46,868			59,601
	Long-term deferred tax liability, net			9,339			6,877
	Long-term debt			52,676			59,653
	Operating lease liabilities			1,151			584
	Total liabilities			110,034			126,715
	Shareholders' equity			72,893			58,278
	Total liabilities and shareholders' equity		$	182,927		$	184,993

The Hackett Group, Inc.
SEGMENT PROFIT
(in thousands)
(unaudited)
			Quarter Ended							Six Months Ended
			June 30,			July 1,				June 30,			July 1,
				2023			2022				2023			2022
	Global S&BT (1):
	Total revenue (4)		$	43,632		$	44,530			$	85,967		$	87,167
	Segment profit (5)			13,102			16,269				26,909			31,910
	Oracle Solutions (2):
	Total revenue (4)		$	20,775		$	19,971			$	37,943		$	41,483
	Segment profit (5)			5,886			4,301				8,935			8,834
	SAP Solutions (3):
	Total revenue (4)		$	12,695		$	11,427			$	24,421		$	22,942
	Segment profit (5)			2,990			2,977				5,624			5,391
	Total Company:
	Total revenue (4)		$	77,102		$	75,928			$	148,331		$	151,592
	Total segment profit		$	21,978		$	23,547			$	41,468		$	46,135
	Items not allocated to segment level (5):
	Corporate general and administrative expenses			5,610			5,935				10,571			11,569
	Non-cash stock based compensation expense			2,772			2,718				5,219			5,317
	Restructuring and asset impairment settlement			-			(125	)			-			(125	)
	Depreciation and amortization			806			838				1,636			1,784
	Interest expense, net			921			28				1,780			56
	Income from continuing operations before taxes		$	11,869		$	14,153			$	22,262		$	27,534
	(1) Global S&BT includes the results of our strategic businesses consulting practices, including Strategy and Business Transformation Consulting, Benchmarking, Business Advisory Services, IP as-a-Service and OneStream.
	(2) Oracle Solutions includes the results of our EPM/ERP and AMS practices.
	(3) SAP Solutions includes the results of our SAP applications and related SAP service offerings.
	(4) Total revenue includes reimbursable expenses, which are project travel-related expenses passed through to a client with no associated operating margin.
	(5) Segment profits consist of the revenue generated by the segment, less the direct costs of revenue and selling, general and administrative expenses that are incurred directly by the segment. Items not allocated to the segment level include corporate costs related to administrative functions that are performed in a centralized manner that are not attributable to a particular segment. Items not allocated to the segment level include corporate general and administrative expenses, non-cash stock based compensation expense, depreciation and amortization expense, restructuring charge and asset impairment, interest expense and foreign currency gains and losses. Corporate general and administrative expenses primarily include costs related to business support functions including accounting and finance, human resources, legal, information technology and office administration. Corporate general and administrative expenses exclude one-time, non-recurring expenses and benefits.

The Hackett Group, Inc.
RECONCILIATION OF GAAP TO NON-GAAP MEASURES
(in thousands, except per share data)
(unaudited)
		Quarter Ended							Six Months Ended
		June 30,			July 1,				June 30,		July 1,
			2023			2022				2023		2022
GAAP NET INCOME		$	8,720		$	10,215			$	16,881	$	20,720
Adjustments (1):
Non-cash stock based compensation expense (2)			2,769			2,714				5,213		5,309
Acquisition-related non-cash stock based compensation expense (3)			3			4				6		8
Restructuring and asset impairment settlement			-			(125	)			-		(125	)
Amortization of intangible assets (4)			-			10				-		154
ADJUSTED NET INCOME BEFORE INCOME TAXES ON ADJUSTMENTS (1)			11,492			12,818				22,100		26,066
Tax effect of adjustments above (5)			731			669				1,377		1,364
ADJUSTED NET INCOME (1)		$	10,761		$	12,149			$	20,723	$	24,702
GAAP diluted net income per common share		$	0.32		$	0.32			$	0.62	$	0.65
Adjusted diluted net income per common share (1)		$	0.39		$	0.38			$	0.76	$	0.77
Weighted average common and common equivalent shares outstanding			27,548			32,221				27,408		32,032
(1) The Company provides adjusted earnings results (which exclude the loss from discontinued operations, non-cash stock based compensation expense, acquisition-related compensation expense, acquisition-related non-cash stock based compensation expense, restructuring charge and asset impairment, amortization of intangible assets and include a GAAP tax rate) as a complement to results provided in accordance with Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). These non-GAAP results are provided to enhance the users' overall understanding of the Company's current financial performance and its prospects for the future. The Company believes the non-GAAP results provide useful information to both management and investors and by excluding certain expenses that it believes are not indicative of its core operating results. The non-GAAP measures are included to provide investors and management with an alternative method for assessing operating results in a manner that is focused on the performance of ongoing operations and to provide a more consistent basis for comparison between quarters. Further, these non-GAAP results are one of the primary indicators management uses for planning and forecasting in future periods. In addition, since the Company has historically reported non-GAAP results to the investment community, it believes the continued inclusion of non-GAAP results provides consistency in its financial reporting. The presentation of this additional information should not be considered in isolation or as a substitute for results prepared in accordance with GAAP.
(2) Non-cash stock based compensation expense is accounted for under Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, Compensation-Stock Compensation. The Company excludes non-cash stock based compensation expense and the related tax effects for the purposes of adjusted net income and adjusted diluted earnings per share. The Company believes that non-GAAP measures of profitability, which exclude non-cash stock based compensation expense, are widely used by investors.
(3) The Company incurs cash and non-cash stock based compensation expense for acquisition related consideration that is recognized over time under GAAP. The Company believes excluding these amounts more consistently presents its ongoing results of operations because they are related to acquisitions and not due to normal operating activities. The acquisition-related non-cash stock based compensation expense is also accounted for under Financial Accounting Standards Board Accounting Standards Codification Topic 718, Compensation-Stock Compensation.
(4) The Company has incurred expense on amortization of intangible assets related to various acquisitions. The Company excludes the effect of the amortization of intangibles from our adjusted results in order to more consistently present its ongoing results of operations.
(5) The adjustment for the income tax expense is based on the accounting treatment and income tax rate for the jurisdiction of each item. For the quarter end periods the impact of non-cash stock based compensation expense was $0.7 million and $0.7 million in 2023 and 2022, respectively, and the impact of intangible amortization was $3 thousand in 2022 and the impact on the restructuring and asset impairment reversal was $32 thousand in 2022. For the six month periods the impact of non-cash stock compensation was $1.4 million and $1.4 million in 2023 and 2022, respectively; the impact of intangible amortization was $32 thousand in 2022 and the impact on the restructuring and asset impairment reversal was $32 thousand in 2022.

The Hackett Group, Inc.
SUPPLEMENTAL FINANCIAL DATA
(unaudited)
		Quarter Ended
		June 30,				March 31,				July 1,
			2023				2023				2022
Revenue Concentration:
(% of total revenue)
Top customer			5	%			5	%			7	%
Top 5 customers			16	%			16	%			18	%
Top 10 customers			24	%			24	%			26	%
Key Metrics and Other Financial Data:
Total Company:
Consultant headcount			1,148				1,128				1,125
Total headcount			1,401				1,368				1,339
Days sales outstanding (DSO)			68				66				59
Cash (used in) provided by operating activities (in thousands)		$	7,714			$	(3,063	)		$	18,235
Depreciation (in thousands)		$	806			$	830			$	828
Amortization (in thousands)		$	-			$	-			$	10
Capital expenditures (in thousands)		$	1,062			$	1,063			$	1,274
Remaining Plan authorization:
Shares purchased (in thousands)			-				37				-
Cost of shares repurchased (in thousands)		$	—			$	711			$	—
Average price per share of shares purchased		$	—			$	18.98			$	—
Remaining Plan authorization (in thousands) (1)		$	13,938			$	13,961			$	10,609
Shares Purchased to Satisfy Employee Net Vesting Obligations:
Shares purchased (in thousands)			6				162				4
Cost of shares purchased (in thousands)		$	119			$	3,526			$	76
Average price per share of shares purchased		$	19.00			$	21.75			$	21
(1) The decrease in the Plan authorization in the second quarter of 2023 related to additional transaction fees for the tender offer which occurred in December 2022.

 

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The Hackett Group Stock at the time of publication of the news with a fall of -0,93 % to 21,20EUR on Lang & Schwarz stock exchange (08. August 2023, 22:33 Uhr).