ISG reported first-quarter operating income of $7.1 million, down 9 percent from $7.7 million in the first quarter of 2022. Reported first-quarter net income was $3.5 million, down 29 percent from net income of $4.9 million in the prior year. Fully diluted earnings per share was $0.07, compared with $0.10 per fully diluted share in the prior year. Net income margin (calculated by dividing net income by reported revenues) was 4.4 percent, compared with 6.8 percent in the first quarter of 2022.
Adjusted net income (a non-GAAP measure defined below under “Non-GAAP Financial Measures”) for the first quarter was $6.0 million, or $0.12 per share on a fully diluted basis, compared with adjusted net income of $6.4 million, or $0.12 per share on a fully diluted basis, in the prior year’s first quarter.
First-quarter adjusted EBITDA (a non-GAAP measure defined below under “Non-GAAP Financial Measures”) was $11.0 million, up 3 percent from the prior-year first quarter. Adjusted EBITDA margin (a non-GAAP measure calculated by dividing adjusted EBITDA by reported revenues) was 14 percent, down 68 basis points from the prior year.
Other Financial and Operating Highlights
ISG used $3.4 million of cash from operations in the first quarter, compared with generating $4.1 million in the first quarter last year. The firm’s cash balance totaled $23.7 million at March 31, 2023, down from $30.6 million at December 31, 2022.
During the first quarter, ISG paid dividends of $2.0 million and repurchased $0.6 million of shares. As of March 31, 2023, ISG had $79.2 million in debt outstanding, unchanged from the end of last year. The firm’s gross-debt-to-adjusted-EBITDA ratio (a non-GAAP measure calculated by dividing outstanding debt by the trailing 12 months of adjusted EBITDA) was 1.8 times.
New Operating Model: ISG NEXT – Phase II
ISG said it has launched Phase II of its ISG NEXT operating model, to extend the firm’s market leadership, enhance its growth opportunities, and drive significant value for all stakeholders.
Under Phase II, ISG expects by the end of 2025 to expand its adjusted EBITDA margin a further 200 basis points, to approximately 17 percent, and accelerate its recurring revenues to $150 million, after surpassing its previous target of $100 million in 2022.
“Our proven ISG NEXT operating model, launched two years ago, has enhanced the value we deliver to our clients and the financial performance we deliver for our shareholders,” said Connors. “Clients have benefited from our end-to-end and industry-specific solutions, and our borderless delivery network, ISG iFlex™, that enables us to rapidly deploy our global resources to solve any client challenge, regardless of geography or time zone. As a result, over the last two years, we grew our adjusted EBIDTA by more than 50 percent, our adjusted EBITDA margin by more than 30 percent or approximately 375 basis points, and our client base by more than 20 percent.
“Now we are moving on to Phase II of ISG NEXT, with a focus on accelerating the growth of our recurring revenue streams, especially in research and our platforms; further expanding our suite of digital solutions in such areas as cybersecurity, digital engineering and enterprise cloud, and taking advantage of growing market demand for our enterprise services including change management, human capital management and cost optimization.”
2023 Second-Quarter Revenue and Adjusted EBITDA Guidance
“For the second quarter, ISG is targeting revenues of between $73 million and $75 million and adjusted EBITDA of between $10 million and $11 million. We will continue to monitor the macroeconomic environment, including the impact of FX, inflation and other factors, and adjust our business plans accordingly,” said Connors.