
“Looking ahead, our new business pipeline remains strong and we are actively managing our costs, consistent with our strategy of being the lowest cost provider in the industry. Accordingly, we are maintaining 2019 annual guidance of year-over-year revenue growth in the range of 8% to 10% and Adjusted EBITDA growth in the range of 14% to 18%,” concluded Stewart.
Consolidated Results from Continuing Operations for the Three Months Ended March 31, 2019
Consolidated revenue from continuing operations for the first quarter of 2019 was $38.8 million, compared to $36.7 million for the same period in 2019, an increase of 5.7%. First quarter 2019 revenue from the Recovery Audit Services segments was $37.1 million compared to $36.0 million in the prior year, and from the Adjacent Services segment was $1.7 million compared to $0.7 million in 2018. On a constant dollar basis adjusted for changes in foreign exchange rates, revenue increased by 8.6% in the first quarter of 2019 compared to the same period in the prior year.
Total cost of revenue from continuing operations for the first quarter of 2019 was $25.2 million, or 65.0% of revenue, compared to $24.8 million, or 67.5% of revenue, for the same period in the prior year, representing a 2.5% improvement as a percentage of revenue.
Selling, general and administrative expenses from continuing operations for the first quarter of 2019 were $13.9 million compared to $11.3 million in the prior year period.
Consolidated net loss from continuing operations for the first quarter of 2019 was $4.2 million, or $(0.19) per basic and diluted share, compared to net loss of $2.3 million, or $(0.10) per basic and diluted share, for the same period in 2018.
Adjusted Earnings Before Interest, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (Adjusted EBITDA) from continuing operations for the first quarter of 2019 was $1.7 million, or 4.4 % of revenue, compared to Adjusted EBITDA of $3.3 million, or 8.9% of revenue, for the first quarter of 2018, a decrease of $1.6 million or 47.1%. This decline in Adjusted EBITDA was primarily driven by costs related to planned staffing in advance of revenue, in both Recovery Audit and Adjacent Services, the beginning of our sales and marketing initiatives, recruiting fees and changes in bad debt reserves.
Schedule 3 attached to this press release provides a reconciliation of net loss to each of EBIT (Earnings Before Interest and Taxes), EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA.
Cash Flow and Liquidity
Net cash used by operating activities for the first quarter of 2019 was $2.4 million, compared to $3.0 million in the first quarter of the prior year.
At March 31, 2019, the Company had unrestricted cash and cash equivalents of $12.3 million, and borrowings of $29.7 million against its $60.0 million revolving credit facility.