Crawford Reports Substantial Improvement in 2011 Third Quarter Results

ATLANTA, Nov. 7, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Crawford & Company (www.crawfordandcompany.com) (NYSE: CRDA; CRDB), the world's largest independent provider of claims management solutions to insurance companies and self-insured entities, today announced its financial results for the third quarter ended September 30, 2011.

Consolidated Results

Third quarter 2011 consolidated revenues before reimbursements totaled $283.0 million, up 11% over $254.5 million in the 2010 third quarter.  Third quarter 2011 net income attributable to Crawford & Company was $15.3 million, compared with $13.0 million recorded in the 2010 third quarter. Third quarter 2011 diluted earnings per share for CRDA and CRDB were $0.28 compared with $0.24 reported in the prior-year quarter. Third quarter 2011 diluted earnings per share for CRDA and CRDB were positively impacted by an arbitration award of $7.0 million ($5.9 million net of tax, or $0.11 per diluted share) related to the previously disclosed arbitration with Platinum Equity, LLC.

The Company's consolidated cash and cash equivalents position as of September 30, 2011 totaled $68.0 million, compared with $93.5 million at December 31, 2010. Crawford used $17.6 million of cash in operations during the 2011 year-to-date period, compared with $25.1 million during the comparable 2010 period. The $7.5 million reduction in cash used in operations was due to higher net income, partially offset by higher accounts receivable and unbilled revenues and increased payments of accounts payable and accrued liabilities.

In the 2011 third quarter, the Company paid a higher dividend on CRDA than on CRDB. This may result in a different earnings per share ("EPS") for each class of stock due to the two-class method of computing EPS as required by the guidance in Accounting Standards Codification 260 - "Earnings Per Share". The two-class method is an earnings allocation method under which EPS is calculated for each class of common stock considering both dividends declared and participation rights in undistributed earnings as if all such earnings had been distributed during the period. Further references in this release will generally be only for CRDB, as that is the more dilutive measure.

Results by Segment

Americas

Americas revenues before reimbursements were $94.7 million in the third quarter of 2011, increasing 10% from $85.7 million in the 2010 third quarter. During the 2011 third quarter compared with the 2010 third quarter, the U.S. dollar weakened against foreign currencies in the segment, resulting in a positive exchange rate impact to revenues of $2.6 million in this segment. Excluding the positive impact of exchange rate changes, Americas revenues would have been $92.0 million in the 2011 third quarter. Revenues generated by the Company's catastrophe adjuster group in the U.S. were $12.9 million in the 2011 third quarter, increasing from $4.6 million in the 2010 period.  Americas operating expenses for the 2011 third quarter increased by $8.4 million in U.S. dollars, an 11% increase, and increased by 7% on a constant dollar basis, compared with the 2010 period. Operating earnings in the 2011 third quarter in the segment increased to $6.8 million, or an operating margin of 7%, compared with operating earnings of $6.2 million, or 7% of revenues in the 2010 third quarter.

EMEA/AP

Third quarter 2011 revenues before reimbursements for the EMEA/AP segment increased 27% to $87.0 million from $68.7 million in the same period of 2010. During the 2011 third quarter compared with the 2010 third quarter, the U.S. dollar weakened against most major foreign currencies, resulting in a positive exchange rate impact to revenues of $10.0 million in this segment. Excluding the positive impact of exchange rate changes, EMEA/AP revenues would have been $77.0 million in the 2011 third quarter. EMEA/AP operating expenses for the 2011 third quarter increased by $17.7 million in U.S. dollars, a  28% increase, and increased by 14% on a constant dollar basis, compared with the 2010 period. Operating earnings increased to $5.7 million in the 2011 third quarter from 2010 third quarter operating earnings of $5.1 million. The related operating margin was 7% for both the third quarter of 2011 and 2010.

Broadspire

Revenues before reimbursements from the Broadspire segment were $58.9 million in the 2011 third quarter, down 5% from $61.7 million in the 2010 third quarter. Broadspire had an operating loss of $2.9 million in the 2011 third quarter, or a negative operating margin of 5%, compared with an operating loss of $0.7 million, or  a negative operating margin of 1%, in the prior year period. These declines were primarily due to lower revenues from existing clients due to a lengthening in the duration of certain workers' compensation claims and a shift in mix to lower-margin claims, partially as a result of the ongoing special project for one of our clients.

Legal Settlement Administration

Legal Settlement Administration revenues before reimbursements were $42.5 million in the 2011 third quarter, compared with $38.4 million in the 2010 third quarter.  Operating earnings totaled $10.8 million in the 2011 third quarter, or 25% of revenues, compared with $11.0 million, or 29% of revenues, in the prior-year period. The segment's awarded project backlog totaled approximately $72.5 million at September 30, 2011 as compared with $75.0 million at September 30, 2010.  

Management's Comments

Mr. Jeffrey T. Bowman, chief executive officer of Crawford & Company, stated, "Our third quarter 2011 operating results reflect continued strong performance in our Americas, EMEA/AP and Legal Settlement Administration segments.

"Both the Americas segment and EMEA/AP benefited from weather-related claims increases, the former in the U.S. as a result of Hurricane Irene and the latter as a result of an increase in weather-related claims activity in our Australian market.

"In our Legal Settlement Administration segment, we continue to see solid results primarily from our engagement in the Gulf Coast Claims Facility special project. We still have a strong backlog of awarded projects in this segment and expect the special project activity to continue through 2011 and into 2012, although at a reduced rate as this project continues to wind down.

"Our Broadspire segment is  closely correlated with the U.S. economy and continues to be affected by lower workplace-related claims volumes reflecting the high level of U.S. unemployment. In addition, we are seeing the duration of workers compensation claims lengthen, which is putting further pressure on this business. We are actively addressing these issues and focusing on significant technology improvements, business development, and cost control measures. As we have previously disclosed, during the 2011 third quarter we completed all remaining arbitration matters related to the acquisition of Broadspire. In connection with that, we recorded an after-tax $5.9 million one-time arbitration award in this year's third quarter. We are pleased all arbitration matters associated with the Broadspire acquisition are now behind us as we continue to build this business unit."

Mr. Bowman concluded, "As we end the year and prepare to enter 2012, I am optimistic that our strategic focus of getting Broadspire to an acceptable operating profit level, reducing our overall debt load, and enhancing shareholders' returns through improved revenue and operating earnings as we capitalize on global opportunities and efficiencies will be executed."

2011 Guidance

Crawford & Company revises and increases aspects of its previously issued guidance for 2011 as follows:

• Consolidated revenues before reimbursements between $1.10 billion and $1.13 billion.
• Consolidated operating earnings between $83.0 million and $89.0 million.
• Consolidated cash provided by operating activities between $30.0 million and $35.0 million.
• After reflecting stock-based compensation expense, net corporate interest expense, customer-relationship intangible asset amortization expense, special credits and charges, and income taxes, net income attributable to shareholders of Crawford & Company on a GAAP basis between $45.0 million and $47.5 million, or $0.81 to $0.86 diluted earnings per CRDB share.
• Before reflecting a net special credit of $1.6 million, or $0.04 per share, net income attributable to shareholders of Crawford & Company on a non-GAAP basis between $43.5 million and $46.0 million, or $0.77 to $0.82 diluted earnings per CRDB share.

Crawford & Company's management will host a conference call with investors on Monday, November 7, 2011 at 3:00 p.m. EST to discuss earnings and other developments. The call will be recorded and available for replay through November 15, 2011. You may dial 1-855-859-2056 (404-537-3406 international) to listen to the replay. The access code is 21518137. Alternatively, please visit our web site at www.crawfordandcompany.com for a live audio web cast and related financial presentation.

Further information regarding the Company's financial position, operating results, and cash flows as of and for the quarter and year-to-date period ended September 30, 2011 is shown on the attached unaudited condensed consolidated financial statements.

In the normal course of business, our operating segments incur certain out-of-pocket expenses that are thereafter reimbursed by our clients. Under GAAP, these out-of-pocket expenses and associated reimbursements are reported as expenses and revenues, respectively, in our consolidated results of operations. In the foregoing discussion and analysis of segment results of operations, we do not include a gross up of segment revenues and expenses for these pass-through reimbursed expenses. The amounts of reimbursed expenses and related revenues offset each other in our results of operations with no impact to our net income or operating earnings (loss). A reconciliation of revenues before reimbursements to consolidated revenues determined in accordance with GAAP is self-evident from the face of the accompanying unaudited condensed consolidated statements of operations.

Operating earnings is the primary financial performance measure used by our senior management and chief operating decision maker ("CODM") to evaluate the financial performance of our operating segments and make resource allocation decisions. Unlike net income, our operating earnings measure is not a standard performance measure found in GAAP. However, since it is our segment measure of profitability presented in conformity with the Financial Accounting Standards Board's ("FASB") Accounting Standards Codification ("ASC") Topic 280 "Segment Reporting," it is not considered a non-GAAP financial measure requiring reconciliation pursuant to Securities and Exchange Commission ("SEC") guidance contained in Regulation G and Item 10(e) of Regulation S-K. We believe this measure is useful to others in that it allows them to evaluate segment operating performance using the same criteria our  management and CODM  use. Operating earnings  represent  segment  earnings  excluding income tax expense, net corporate interest expense, amortization of customer-relationship intangible assets, stock option expense, certain other gains and expenses, and certain unallocated corporate and shared costs. Net income or loss attributable to noncontrolling interests has also been removed from operating earnings.

Income tax expense, net corporate interest expense, amortization of customer-relationship intangible assets, and stock option expense are recurring components of our net income, but they are not considered part of our segment operating earnings because they are managed on a corporate-wide basis. Income tax expense is based on statutory rates in effect in each of the jurisdictions where we provide services, and vary throughout the world. Net corporate interest expense results from capital structure decisions made by management and affecting the Company as a whole. Amortization expense relates to non-cash amortization expense of customer-relationship intangible assets resulting from business combinations. Stock option expense represents the non-cash costs generally related to stock options and employee stock purchase plan expenses which are not allocated to our operating segments. None of these costs relate directly to the performance of our services or operating activities and, therefore, are excluded from segment operating earnings in order to better assess the results of each segment's operating activities on a consistent basis.

Certain other gains and expenses may arise from events (such as expenses related to restructurings, losses on subleases, arbitration awards, and goodwill impairment charges) that are not allocated to any particular segment since they historically have not regularly impacted our performance and are not expected to impact our future performance on a regular basis.

Following is a reconciliation of segment operating earnings (loss) to net income attributable to Crawford & Company on a GAAP basis and the related margins as a percentage of revenues before reimbursements for all periods presented (in thousands, except percentages):

Based in Atlanta, Georgia, Crawford & Company (www.crawfordandcompany.com) is the world's largest independent provider of claims management solutions to the risk management and insurance industry as well as self-insured entities, with an expansive global network serving clients in more than 70 countries. The Crawford System of Claims Solutions(SM) offers comprehensive, integrated claims services, business process outsourcing and consulting services for major product lines including property and casualty claims management, workers' compensation claims and medical management, and legal settlement administration. The Company's shares are traded on the NYSE under the symbols CRDA and CRDB.

The Company's two classes of stock have substantially identical rights, except with respect to voting rights and the Company's ability to pay greater cash dividends on the Class A Common Stock than on the Class B Common Stock, subject to certain limitations. In addition, with respect to mergers or similar transactions, holders of Class A Common Stock must receive the same type and amount of consideration as holders of Class B Common Stock, unless approved by the holders of 75% of the Class A Common Stock, voting as a class.

SOURCE Crawford & Company