TROY, Mich., July 25, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kelly, a leading global specialty talent solutions provider, will release its second-quarter earnings before the market opens on Thursday, August 8, 2024. In conjunction with its second-quarter earnings release, Kelly will publish a financial presentation on the Investor Relations page of its public website and will host a conference call at 9 a.m. ET.
The call may be accessed in one of the following ways:
Via the telephone: (877) 692-8955 (toll free) or (234) 720-6979 (caller paid) Enter access code 5728672 After the prompt, please enter “#”
A recording of the conference call will be available after 1:30 p.m. ET on August 8, 2024, at (866) 207-1041 (toll-free) and (402) 970-0847 (caller-paid). The access code is 2784290#. The recording will also be available at kellyservices.com during this period.
About Kelly
Kelly Services, Inc. (Nasdaq: KELYA, KELYB) helps companies recruit and manage skilled workers and helps job seekers find great work. Since inventing the staffing industry in 1946, we have become experts in the many industries and local and global markets we serve. With a network of suppliers and partners around the world, we connect more than 500,000 people with work every year. Our suite of outsourcing and consulting services ensures companies have the people they need, when and where they are needed most. Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, we empower businesses and individuals to access limitless opportunities in industries such as science, engineering, technology, education, manufacturing, retail, finance, and energy. Revenue in 2023 was $4.8 billion. Learn more at kellyservices.com.
Kelly (Nasdaq: KELYA, KELYB) connects talented people to companies in need of their skills in areas including Science, Engineering, Education, Office, Contact Center, Light Industrial, and more. We’re always thinking about what’s next in the evolving world of work, and we help people ditch the script on old ways of thinking and embrace the value of all workstyles in the workplace. We directly employ nearly 350,000 people around the world and connect thousands more with work through our global network of talent suppliers and partners in our outsourcing and consulting practice. Revenue in 2021 was $4.9 billion. Visit kellyservices.com and let us help with what’s next for you.
Joe Gomes, CFA, Managing Director, Equity Research Analyst, Generalist , Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Joshua Zoepfel, Research Associate, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.
MRP Call. On Tuesday, Kelly management held a conference call to discuss the completion of the Motion Recruitment Partners (MRP) deal. Management provided additional details regarding the financial profile of MRP and how it will integrate into Kelly, valuation details regarding the deal, and the Company’s goal of reducing debt as a result of the acquisition.
Improved Financial Profile. Kelly improves on both its gross and adjusted EBITDA margins with the deal. MRP had a 30% gross margin and 7% adj. EBITDA margin for fiscal year 2023 compared to Kelly’s 20% and 2.3%, respectively. Like the rest of the staffing industry, MRP’s fiscal 2023 was impacted by the macro environment as margins decreased from 33% gross and 9% adj. EBITDA for the 2022 fiscal year. We believe that MRP’s financial performance will be beneficial in the short-term for Kelly, but more so in the future when the environment starts to normalize.
Equity Research is available at no cost to Registered users of Channelchek. Not a Member? Click ‘Join’ to join the Channelchek Community. There is no cost to register, and we never collect credit card information.
This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).
*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision.
Kelly (Nasdaq: KELYA, KELYB) connects talented people to companies in need of their skills in areas including Science, Engineering, Education, Office, Contact Center, Light Industrial, and more. We’re always thinking about what’s next in the evolving world of work, and we help people ditch the script on old ways of thinking and embrace the value of all workstyles in the workplace. We directly employ nearly 350,000 people around the world and connect thousands more with work through our global network of talent suppliers and partners in our outsourcing and consulting practice. Revenue in 2021 was $4.9 billion. Visit kellyservices.com and let us help with what’s next for you.
Joe Gomes, CFA, Managing Director, Equity Research Analyst, Generalist , Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Joshua Zoepfel, Research Associate, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.
Portfolio Optimization. Continuing its strategic actions to optimize its operating model and unlock capital, Kelly has sold the Ayers Group, a division of KellyOCG, to Keystone Partners, a Silver Oak Services Partners LLC portfolio company. While financial terms were not disclosed, the transaction further allows the Company to focus resources on specialties where KellyOCG is well positioned to compete and win over the long term, in our view.
Ayers Group. A provider of outplacement, executive coaching, and leadership development solutions to employers, Ayers was acquired by Kelly in 2006 for $4.6 million, with another $1.3 million of potential earnouts. Ayers was generating about $10 million of revenue at the time and while Kelly does not break out Ayers’ current revenue contribution, various sources estimate current revenue in the $20 million range.
Equity Research is available at no cost to Registered users of Channelchek. Not a Member? Click ‘Join’ to join the Channelchek Community. There is no cost to register, and we never collect credit card information.
This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).
*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision.
TROY, Mich., June 12, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kelly (Nasdaq: KELYA, KELYB), a leading global specialty talent solutions provider, has completed the sale of Ayers Group, a division of KellyOCG, to Keystone Partners, a Silver Oak Services Partners LLC portfolio company. Ayers Group provides outplacement, executive coaching, and leadership development solutions to employers across a wide range of industries. Terms of the sale were not disclosed.
The sale of Ayers Group sharpens KellyOCG’s focus on global recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) and managed service provider (MSP) solutions. The transaction also unlocks incremental capital to redeploy toward Kelly’s specialty strategy.
“The sale of Ayers Group marks another step forward on KellyOCG’s journey to become the leading provider of global RPO and MSP solutions, which are key pillars of our strategy to meet the buyer where they are in their journey to total talent management,” said Tammy Browning, president, KellyOCG. “This transaction reflects our commitment to directing resources to specialties where KellyOCG is well positioned to compete and win over the long term.”
The sale of Ayers Group is the latest in a series of strategic actions Kelly has executed to further optimize its operating model, unlock capital, and strengthen its competitive position in higher-margin, higher-growth specialties. These actions include selling its European staffing operations; monetizing non-core real estate holdings and businesses; unwinding Kelly’s cross-shareholding arrangement with Persol and reducing the company’s ownership interest in PersolKelly, its Asia-Pacific staffing joint venture; and selling its operations in Brazil and Russia.
About Kelly®
Kelly Services, Inc. (Nasdaq: KELYA, KELYB) helps companies recruit and manage skilled workers and helps job seekers find great work. Since inventing the staffing industry in 1946, we have become experts in the many industries and local and global markets we serve. With a network of suppliers and partners around the world, we connect more than 500,000 people with work every year. Our suite of outsourcing and consulting services ensures companies have the people they need, when and where they are needed most. Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, we empower businesses and individuals to access limitless opportunities in industries such as science, engineering, technology, education, manufacturing, retail, finance, and energy. Revenue in 2023 was $4.8 billion. Learn more at kellyservices.com.
About The Ayers Group
The Ayers Group, headquartered in New York City, has helped companies adapt to change through comprehensive human resources and organizational development solutions. Learn more at www.ayers.com.
About Keystone Partners
Founded in 1982, Keystone Partners is a leading outplacement, executive coaching and leadership development consulting firm headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts. Keystone offers a range of services designed to help individuals and organizations successfully navigate the complexities of career management and development.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains statements that are forward looking in nature and, accordingly, are subject to risks and uncertainties. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Kelly’s financial expectations, are forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in this release include, but are not limited to, (i) changing market and economic conditions, (ii) disruption in the labor market and weakened demand for human capital resulting from technological advances, loss of large corporate customers and government contractor requirements, (iii) the impact of laws and regulations (including federal, state and international tax laws), (iv) unexpected changes in claim trends on workers’ compensation, unemployment, disability and medical benefit plans, (v) litigation and other legal liabilities (including tax liabilities) in excess of our estimates, (vi) our ability to achieve our business’s anticipated growth strategies, (vi) our future business development, results of operations and financial condition, (vii) damage to our brands, (viii) dependency on third parties for the execution of critical functions, (ix) conducting business in foreign countries, including foreign currency fluctuations, (x) availability of temporary workers with appropriate skills required by customers, (xi) cyberattacks or other breaches of network or information technology security, and (xii) other risks, uncertainties and factors discussed in this release and in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “target,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release and we undertake no duty to update any forward-looking statement to conform the statement to actual results or changes in the Company’s expectations.
Kelly (Nasdaq: KELYA, KELYB) connects talented people to companies in need of their skills in areas including Science, Engineering, Education, Office, Contact Center, Light Industrial, and more. We’re always thinking about what’s next in the evolving world of work, and we help people ditch the script on old ways of thinking and embrace the value of all workstyles in the workplace. We directly employ nearly 350,000 people around the world and connect thousands more with work through our global network of talent suppliers and partners in our outsourcing and consulting practice. Revenue in 2021 was $4.9 billion. Visit kellyservices.com and let us help with what’s next for you.
Joe Gomes, CFA, Managing Director, Equity Research Analyst, Generalist , Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Joshua Zoepfel, Research Associate, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.
Completed. Kelly Services has completed the acquisition of Motion Recruitment Partners, LLC (“MRP”), from Littlejohn & Co., LLC, a private investment firm. As we highlighted in past reports, this is a transformational acquisition for Kelly, the largest in its history. We believe MRP will be a key driver in Kelly posting a higher revenue growth rate as well as continued expansion of Kelly’s adjusted EBITDA margin.
MRP Refresher. MRP is the parent company to a group of leading global talent solution providers. The acquisition of MRP strengthens the scale and capabilities of Kelly’s staffing and consulting solutions across technology, telecommunications, and government specialties in North America, and recruitment process outsourcing solutions globally.
Equity Research is available at no cost to Registered users of Channelchek. Not a Member? Click ‘Join’ to join the Channelchek Community. There is no cost to register, and we never collect credit card information.
This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).
*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision.
Transformational acquisition expected to accelerate EBITDA margin expansion
MRP to continue delivering services through existing operating companies and brands
Kelly management to host live webcast on June 18 to provide more details about the rationale for the acquisition and insights into MRP’s financial profile
TROY, Mich., June 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kelly (Nasdaq: KELYA, KELYB) (“the Company”), a leading global specialty talent solutions provider, today announced it has completed the acquisition of Motion Recruitment Partners, LLC (“MRP”), from Littlejohn & Co., LLC (“Littlejohn”), a private investment firm based in Greenwich, Connecticut. Kelly previously announced on May 3, 2024, that it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire MRP from Littlejohn.
The acquisition of MRP strengthens the scale and capabilities of Kelly’s staffing and consulting solutions across technology, telecommunications, and government specialties in North America, and recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) solutions globally. With a margin profile commensurate with a highly specialized technology talent solutions provider, MRP fits exceptionally well with Kelly’s strategy to enhance the revenue growth potential of the company and drive continued EBITDA margin expansion.
“Today marks a transformational step forward on our journey to sharpen Kelly’s focus on higher-margin, higher-growth specialty outcome-based and staffing services in North America, and global RPO and MSP solutions,” said Peter Quigley, president and chief executive officer, Kelly. “I’m excited to welcome MRP to the Kelly team and look forward to the significant growth and value creation we will deliver together.”
“MRP’s capabilities are excellent complements to Kelly SET as we continue our journey to become a leading technology staffing and consulting solutions provider in North America,” said Hugo Malan, president, Kelly SET. “They bring extensive expertise in enterprise technology staffing, as well as robust telecommunications and government specialties that align exceptionally well with our strong offerings in these segments.”
“Sevenstep’s RPO and MSP offerings align exceptionally well with KellyOCG and we believe the combined entities create a powerful story to bring to the market,” said Tammy Browning, president, KellyOCG. “We look forward to authoring this story together with the Sevenstep team and unlocking new opportunities for growth over the long term.”
Kelly acquired MRP for a purchase price of $425 million. Additional cash consideration of up to $60 million may be due in the second quarter of 2025 if certain conditions are satisfied during an earn-out period ending on March 31, 2025. The earn-out payment is based on a multiple of gross profit in excess of an agreed-upon amount during the earn-out period. The Company funded the transaction through debt and available capital, including the rapid redeployment of more than $100 million from the sale of Kelly’s European staffing operations in January 2024.
Kelly will host a live webcast of a conference call with financial analysts on June 18, 2024, at 9 a.m. ET to provide more details about the acquisition of MRP. Quigley and Olivier Thirot, executive vice president and chief financial officer, will present the rationale for the acquisition and insights into MRP’s financial profile, including recent revenue, gross margin, and net margin trends. Following the presentation, Quigley and Thirot will address questions from financial analysts. The live webcast will be accessible on the Investor Relations section of Kelly’s public website. A recording of the webcast will be available after 1:30 p.m. ET on June 18, 2024.
About Kelly®
Kelly Services, Inc. (Nasdaq: KELYA, KELYB) helps companies recruit and manage skilled workers and helps job seekers find great work. Since inventing the staffing industry in 1946, we have become experts in the many industries and local and global markets we serve. With a network of suppliers and partners around the world, we connect more than 500,000 people with work every year. Our suite of outsourcing and consulting services ensures companies have the people they need, when and where they are needed most. Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, we empower businesses and individuals to access limitless opportunities in industries such as science, engineering, technology, education, manufacturing, retail, finance, and energy. Revenue in 2023 was $4.8 billion. Learn more at kellyservices.com.
About Motion Recruitment Partners, LLC
Established in 1989 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Motion Recruitment Partners, LLC, is parent company to a group of leading global talent solution providers to include Motion Recruitment (IT Staffing & Managed Solutions), Motion Consulting Group (IT Consulting), Motion Telco (IT & Telecom Solutions), Tech in Motion (Tech Networking & Events program), TG Federal (Government IT Subcontracting), and Sevenstep® (RPO, MSP & TA Advisory/Consulting). Learn more at www.motionrecruitment.com, www.sevensteptalent.com, and www.tgfederal.com.
About Littlejohn & Co., LLC
Littlejohn & Co., LLC, is a Greenwich, Connecticut-based investment firm focused on private equity and debt investments primarily in growing middle-market industrial and services companies that can benefit from Littlejohn’s 25+ years of operational and sector expertise. With approximately $8 billion in regulatory assets under management, the firm seeks to build sustainable success for its portfolio companies through a disciplined approach to engineering change. For more information about Littlejohn, visit www.littlejohnllc.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains statements that are forward looking in nature and, accordingly, are subject to risks and uncertainties. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Kelly’s financial expectations, are forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in this release include, but are not limited to, (i) changing market and economic conditions, (ii) disruption in the labor market and weakened demand for human capital resulting from technological advances, loss of large corporate customers and government contractor requirements, (iii) the impact of laws and regulations (including federal, state and international tax laws), (iv) unexpected changes in claim trends on workers’ compensation, unemployment, disability and medical benefit plans, (v) litigation and other legal liabilities (including tax liabilities) in excess of our estimates, (vi) our ability to achieve our business’s anticipated growth strategies, (vi) our future business development, results of operations and financial condition, (vii) damage to our brands, (viii) dependency on third parties for the execution of critical functions, (ix) conducting business in foreign countries, including foreign currency fluctuations, (x) availability of temporary workers with appropriate skills required by customers, (xi) cyberattacks or other breaches of network or information technology security, and (xii) other risks, uncertainties and factors discussed in this release and in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “target,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release and we undertake no duty to update any forward-looking statement to conform the statement to actual results or changes in the Company’s expectations.
Kelly (Nasdaq: KELYA, KELYB) connects talented people to companies in need of their skills in areas including Science, Engineering, Education, Office, Contact Center, Light Industrial, and more. We’re always thinking about what’s next in the evolving world of work, and we help people ditch the script on old ways of thinking and embrace the value of all workstyles in the workplace. We directly employ nearly 350,000 people around the world and connect thousands more with work through our global network of talent suppliers and partners in our outsourcing and consulting practice. Revenue in 2021 was $4.9 billion. Visit kellyservices.com and let us help with what’s next for you.
Joe Gomes, Managing Director, Equity Research Analyst, Generalist , Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Joshua Zoepfel, Research Associate, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.
Operating Environment. The operating environment remains relatively unchanged in terms of the overall macro environment, the availability of top talent, labor force participation, quit rates, and some other key labor factors. We continue to believe Kelly is well positioned to capitalize on any improvement in the operating environment.
Adjusted EBITDA Margin. The sale of the lower margin European Staffing business combined with management’s focus on cost reduction is showing up in the financial results, with adjusted EBITDA margin up 120bp year-over-year. We expect a similar improvement in 2Q24 and the MRP acquisition likely will drive margins even higher.
Equity Research is available at no cost to Registered users of Channelchek. Not a Member? Click ‘Join’ to join the Channelchek Community. There is no cost to register, and we never collect credit card information.
This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).
Kelly (Nasdaq: KELYA, KELYB) connects talented people to companies in need of their skills in areas including Science, Engineering, Education, Office, Contact Center, Light Industrial, and more. We’re always thinking about what’s next in the evolving world of work, and we help people ditch the script on old ways of thinking and embrace the value of all workstyles in the workplace. We directly employ nearly 350,000 people around the world and connect thousands more with work through our global network of talent suppliers and partners in our outsourcing and consulting practice. Revenue in 2021 was $4.9 billion. Visit kellyservices.com and let us help with what’s next for you.
Joe Gomes, Managing Director, Equity Research Analyst, Generalist , Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Joshua Zoepfel, Research Associate, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.
1Q24. There are a lot of moving parts, with the sale of the European staffing business and some one-time expenses. On an organic basis, revenue declined 2.6% y-o-y to $945.6 million due to ongoing soft demand, although the Education segment grew 16.2% y-o-y. Adjusted EBITDA margin was up 110bp to 3.2% driven by the sale of the European business and ongoing expenses reduction initiatives. Adjusted net earnings rose to $20.3 million, or $0.56/sh, from $15.9 million, or $0.42/sh in 1Q23.
GAAP Results. Revenue of $1.05 billion declined 17.6% (17.7% decline on constant currency basis) from last year. Gross profit rate was down 30bp to 19.7% y-o-y with mix and lower permanent placement fees offsetting the benefit from the sale of the European staffing business. Operating earnings of $26.8 million rose 150.2%. Net income was $25.8 million, or $0.70/sh, versus $10.9 million, or $0.29/sh in the prior year.
Equity Research is available at no cost to Registered users of Channelchek. Not a Member? Click ‘Join’ to join the Channelchek Community. There is no cost to register, and we never collect credit card information.
This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).
*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision.
Q1 operating earnings of $26.8 million, or up 34% on an adjusted basis
Q1 revenue down following sale of European staffing operations; down 2.6% on an organic basis
Q1 adjusted EBITDA margin increased 110 basis points to 3.2% driven by meaningful reduction in operating expenses resulting from business transformation initiatives and sale of European staffing operations
Company expects further expansion of EBITDA margin from the planned Q2 2024 acquisition of Motion Recruitment Partners, LLC (“MRP”) and ongoing transformation actions
TROY, Mich., May 09, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kelly (Nasdaq: KELYA, KELYB), a leading specialty talent solutions provider, today announced results for the first quarter of 2024.
Peter Quigley, president and chief executive officer, announced revenue for the first quarter of 2024 totaled $1.05 billion, a 17.6% decrease, compared to the corresponding quarter of 2023 resulting primarily from the sale of the company’s European staffing operations on January 2, 2024. Excluding the impact of the sale of the European staffing operations, revenue declined 2.6% on an organic basis reflecting the continuing impact of customers’ more guarded approach to hiring and initiating new projects or capital spending.
Kelly reported operating earnings in the first quarter of 2024 of $26.8 million, compared to earnings of $10.7 million reported in the first quarter of 2023. Earnings in the first quarter of 2024 include an $11.6 million gain on the sale of our European staffing operations and $7.9 million of charges related to transformation actions and the sale of our European staffing operations. Excluding those charges, adjusted earnings were $23.1 million in the first quarter of 2024. Earnings in the first quarter of 2023 included $6.6 million of restructuring charges and adjusted earnings from operations were $17.3 million. The European staffing operations were break even on an adjusted basis in the first quarter of 2023. Excluding the impact of the sale in both periods, 2024 adjusted earnings improved primarily as a result of lower selling, general and administrative expenses, partially offset by lower revenue and unfavorable business mix and lower permanent placement fees which resulted in lower gross profit.
Earnings per share in the first quarter of 2024 were $0.70 compared to earnings per share of $0.29 in the first quarter of 2023. Included in earnings per share in the first quarter of 2024 were a gain on sale and gain on forward contract, net of tax, of $0.31 partially offset by restructuring and transaction-related charges, net of tax, of $0.17. Included in the earnings per share in the first quarter of 2023 is a $0.13 per share restructuring charge, net of tax. On an adjusted basis, earnings per share were $0.56 in the first quarter of 2024, an improvement from $0.42 per share in the corresponding quarter of 2023.
On May 3, Kelly announced that it had entered into a definitive agreement to acquire MRP and expects the transaction to close in the second quarter of 2024.
“In the first quarter, we continued making progress on our journey to accelerate profitable growth notwithstanding continued macroeconomic uncertainty and industry headwinds. Our ongoing growth and efficiency initiatives increased Kelly’s adjusted EBITDA margin to 3.2% – a significant improvement of 110 basis points over the prior year and well above the company’s recent average,” said Quigley. “Our more streamlined and profitable portfolio of businesses is poised to realize additional benefits from the transformational acquisition of MRP. When completed in the second quarter, this acquisition will strengthen Kelly’s scale and capabilities and meaningfully increase market share across several key areas, which in turn creates exciting opportunities for future revenue growth and additional EBITDA margin expansion.”
Kelly also reported that on May 7, its board of directors declared a dividend of $0.075 per share. The dividend is payable on June 4, 2024, to stockholders of record as of the close of business on May 20, 2024.
In conjunction with its first-quarter earnings release, Kelly has published a financial presentation on the Investor Relations page of its public website and will host a conference call at 9 a.m. ET on May 9 to review the results and answer questions. The call may be accessed in one of the following ways:
Via the Telephone (877) 692-8955 (toll free) or (234) 720-6979 (caller paid) Enter access code 5728672 After the prompt, please enter “#”
A recording of the conference call will be available after 1:30 p.m. ET on May 9, 2024, at (866) 207-1041 (toll-free) and (402) 970-0847 (caller-paid). The access code is 1646639#. The recording will also be available at kellyservices.com during this period.
This release contains statements that are forward looking in nature and, accordingly, are subject to risks and uncertainties. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Kelly’s financial expectations, are forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in this release include, but are not limited to, (i) changing market and economic conditions, (ii) disruption in the labor market and weakened demand for human capital resulting from technological advances, loss of large corporate customers and government contractor requirements, (iii) the impact of laws and regulations (including federal, state and international tax laws), (iv) unexpected changes in claim trends on workers’ compensation, unemployment, disability and medical benefit plans, (v) litigation and other legal liabilities (including tax liabilities) in excess of our estimates, (vi) our ability to achieve our business’s anticipated growth strategies, (vii) our future business development, results of operations and financial condition, (viii) damage to our brands, (ix) dependency on third parties for the execution of critical functions, (x) conducting business in foreign countries, including foreign currency fluctuations, (xi) availability of temporary workers with appropriate skills required by customers, (xii) cyberattacks or other breaches of network or information technology security, and (xiii) other risks, uncertainties and factors discussed in this release and in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “target,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release and we undertake no duty to update any forward-looking statement to conform the statement to actual results or changes in the Company’s expectations.
About Kelly®
Kelly Services, Inc. (Nasdaq: KELYA, KELYB) helps companies recruit and manage skilled workers and helps job seekers find great work. Since inventing the staffing industry in 1946, we have become experts in the many industries and local and global markets we serve. With a network of suppliers and partners around the world, we connect more than 500,000 people with work every year. Our suite of outsourcing and consulting services ensures companies have the people they need, when and where they are needed most. Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, we empower businesses and individuals to access limitless opportunities in industries such as science, engineering, technology, education, manufacturing, retail, finance, and energy. Revenue in 2023 was $4.8 billion. Learn more at kellyservices.com.
Kelly (Nasdaq: KELYA, KELYB) connects talented people to companies in need of their skills in areas including Science, Engineering, Education, Office, Contact Center, Light Industrial, and more. We’re always thinking about what’s next in the evolving world of work, and we help people ditch the script on old ways of thinking and embrace the value of all workstyles in the workplace. We directly employ nearly 350,000 people around the world and connect thousands more with work through our global network of talent suppliers and partners in our outsourcing and consulting practice. Revenue in 2021 was $4.9 billion. Visit kellyservices.com and let us help with what’s next for you.
Joe Gomes, Managing Director, Equity Research Analyst, Generalist , Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Joshua Zoepfel, Research Associate, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.
Acquisition. Friday, Kelly Services announced the largest acquisition in Company History. Kelly is purchasing Motion Recruitment Partners LLC (MRP) for $425 million, with an additional earnout potential of up to $60 million. The acquisition significantly expands and strengthens Kelly’s scale and capabilities, in our view. The transaction will enhance the revenue growth potential and accelerate EBITDA margin expansion for Kelly.
Financing. Kelly expects to fund the purchase with debt and available capital, including the $100 million recently received from the sale of the European staffing business. At year-end, Kelly had $427 million of available liquidity, consisting of $126 million of cash and $301 million of availability under undrawn credit facilities. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2024.
Equity Research is available at no cost to Registered users of Channelchek. Not a Member? Click ‘Join’ to join the Channelchek Community. There is no cost to register, and we never collect credit card information.
This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).
*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision.
Transformational acquisition strengthens scale and capabilities of Kelly’s staffing and consulting solutions across technology, telecommunications, and government specialties in North America, and recruitment process outsourcing (RPO) solutions globally
Provides Motion Recruitment Partners and its leading brands with a highly invested partner to enable continued growth
Demonstrates Kelly’s commitment to rapidly redeploying capital and leveraging its strong balance sheet in pursuit of inorganic investments in higher-margin, higher-growth specialties
TROY, Mich., May 03, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kelly (Nasdaq: KELYA, KELYB) (“the Company”), a leading global specialty talent solutions provider, has entered into a definitive agreement to acquire Motion Recruitment Partners, LLC (“MRP”), from Littlejohn & Co., LLC (“Littlejohn”), a private investment firm based in Greenwich, Connecticut.
Under the terms of the agreement, Kelly will acquire MRP for $425 million in cash to be paid at close, with additional earnout potential of up to $60 million based on certain performance criteria. The Company expects to fund the transaction through debt and available capital, including the rapid redeployment of more than $100 million from the sale of Kelly’s European staffing operations in January 2024. The transaction is expected to close in the second quarter of 2024, subject to receipt of required regulatory approvals and other customary closing conditions.
The transaction will significantly build upon Kelly’s market-leading solutions portfolio, which includes Kelly Science, Engineering & Technology (SET), the second and fourth largest life sciences(1) and engineering(2) staffing provider, respectively, and a leading provider of technology, telecommunications, and government workforce solutions; KellyOCG, a top provider of RPO(3) and managed service provider (MSP)(4) solutions; Kelly Professional & Industrial, one of the ten largest industrial(5) staffing providers; and Kelly Education, the largest provider of K-12 education talent(6).
Following the close of the transaction, MRP will deliver services through its existing operating companies and brands with the goal of expanding Kelly’s capabilities and significantly increasing market share across several key areas:
Motion Recruitment’s technology staffing and consulting business will significantly expand Kelly SET’s delivery platform and establish the business as a top ten provider of tech talent solutions in the U.S.;
Sevenstep® will bring an industry leading brand and highly attractive client base in both RPO and MSP to elevate KellyOCG’s RPO segment to consistently rank in the top five globally;
Motion Telco will add a complementary client portfolio and set of delivery capabilities to Kelly’s existing telecommunications specialty to create a market-leading telecommunications offering; and
TG Federal will bring a dedicated new platform in government technology subcontracting with strong partnerships to build upon Kelly SET’s success in the government space.
In alignment with Kelly’s long-term strategy, the acquisition of MRP will enhance the revenue growth potential of the Company and accelerate EBITDA margin expansion. It will build upon the significant EBITDA margin expansion Kelly has delivered through actions implemented in 2023 and the sale of the Company’s European staffing operations in January 2024.
“We look forward to welcoming MRP to the Kelly team in what is a transformational step forward on our journey to sharpen the Company’s focus on higher-margin, higher-growth specialty outcome-based and staffing services in North America, and global RPO and MSP solutions,” said Peter Quigley, president and chief executive officer, Kelly. “MRP’s portfolio of businesses are an exceptional fit for Kelly’s SET and OCG segments, adding extensive expertise and an established presence in attractive end-markets. Likewise, Kelly’s breadth of resources and culture of collaboration form a strong foundation upon which MRP will reach extraordinary new heights.”
“There are so many valuable and complementary aspects to this new partnership and both companies have a lot to learn and gain from each other,” said Beth Gilfeather, chief executive officer, MRP. “We are excited to begin this new chapter to become part of the exceptional Kelly story and are very motivated to be a driving force behind the significant growth goals that lie ahead.”
“We are proud to have partnered with MRP’s strong leadership team during an important period of growth and evolution,” said Drew Greenwood, managing director, Littlejohn. “During our ownership period, MRP executed on a number of organic and inorganic initiatives that positioned it as a premier talent solutions provider with particular strength and depth in the technology market. We wish the company continued success as part of Kelly moving forward.”
The acquisition of MRP will be the largest in Kelly’s history and follows eight acquisitions completed and integrated successfully since 2017 as part of the Company’s strategy to pursue inorganic investments in higher-margin, higher-growth specialties. Kelly’s inorganic strategy has been enabled by a series of strategic actions to unlock significant capital and optimize the Company’s operating model, including: selling its European staffing operations; monetizing non-core real estate holdings; unwinding its cross-shareholding arrangement with Persol, reducing its ownership interest in PersolKelly, its Asia-Pacific staffing joint venture; and selling its operations in Brazil and Russia.
The Company will provide additional details about this transaction during its upcoming first-quarter earnings conference call on May 9, 2024.
Houlihan Lokey is serving as financial advisor to Kelly with Jasso Lopez PLLC serving as its legal counsel. Robert W. Baird is serving as the financial advisor to MRP with Baker Hostetler serving as its legal counsel.
About Kelly®
Kelly Services, Inc. (Nasdaq: KELYA, KELYB) helps companies recruit and manage skilled workers and helps job seekers find great work. Since inventing the staffing industry in 1946, we have become experts in the many industries and local and global markets we serve. With a network of suppliers and partners around the world, we connect more than 500,000 people with work every year. Our suite of outsourcing and consulting services ensures companies have the people they need, when and where they are needed most. Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, we empower businesses and individuals to access limitless opportunities in industries such as science, engineering, technology, education, manufacturing, retail, finance, and energy. Revenue in 2023 was $4.8 billion. Learn more at kellyservices.com.
About Motion Recruitment Partners, LLC
Established in 1989 and headquartered in Boston, Massachusetts, Motion Recruitment Partners, LLC, is parent company to a group of leading global talent solution providers to include Motion Recruitment (IT Staffing & Managed Solutions), Motion Consulting Group (IT Consulting), Motion Telco (IT & Telecom Solutions), Tech in Motion (Tech Networking & Events program), TG Federal (Government IT Subcontracting), and Sevenstep® (RPO, MSP & TA Advisory/Consulting). Learn more at www.motionrecruitment.com, www.sevensteptalent.com, and www.tgfederal.com.
About Littlejohn & Co., LLC
Littlejohn & Co., LLC, is a Greenwich, Connecticut-based investment firm focused on private equity and debt investments primarily in growing middle-market industrial and services companies that can benefit from Littlejohn’s 25+ years of operational and sector expertise. With approximately $8 billion in regulatory assets under management, the firm seeks to build sustainable success for its portfolio companies through a disciplined approach to engineering change. For more information about Littlejohn, visit www.littlejohnllc.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
This release contains statements that are forward looking in nature and, accordingly, are subject to risks and uncertainties. These statements are made under the “safe harbor” provisions of the U.S. Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. Statements that are not historical facts, including statements about Kelly’s financial expectations, are forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those contained in this release include, but are not limited to, (i) changing market and economic conditions, (ii) disruption in the labor market and weakened demand for human capital resulting from technological advances, loss of large corporate customers and government contractor requirements, (iii) the impact of laws and regulations (including federal, state and international tax laws), (iv) unexpected changes in claim trends on workers’ compensation, unemployment, disability and medical benefit plans, (v) litigation and other legal liabilities (including tax liabilities) in excess of our estimates, (vi) our ability to achieve our business’s anticipated growth strategies, (vi) our future business development, results of operations and financial condition, (vii) damage to our brands, (viii) dependency on third parties for the execution of critical functions, (ix) conducting business in foreign countries, including foreign currency fluctuations, (x) availability of temporary workers with appropriate skills required by customers, (xi) cyberattacks or other breaches of network or information technology security, and (xii) other risks, uncertainties and factors discussed in this release and in the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. In some cases, forward-looking statements can be identified by words or phrases such as “may,” “will,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “target,” “aim,” “estimate,” “intend,” “plan,” “believe,” “potential,” “continue,” “is/are likely to” or other similar expressions. All information provided in this press release is as of the date of this press release and we undertake no duty to update any forward-looking statement to conform the statement to actual results or changes in the Company’s expectations.
TROY, Mich., April 24, 2024 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Kelly, a leading global specialty talent solutions provider, will release its first-quarter earnings before the market opens on Thursday, May 9, 2024. In conjunction with its first-quarter earnings release, Kelly will publish a financial presentation on the Investor Relations page of its public website and will host a conference call at 9 a.m. ET.
The call may be accessed in one of the following ways:
Via the Telephone (877) 692-8955 (toll free) or (234) 720-6979 (caller paid) Enter access code 5728672 After the prompt, please enter “#”
A recording of the conference call will be available after 1:30 p.m. ET on May 9, 2024, at (866) 207-1041 (toll-free) and (402) 970-0847 (caller-paid). The access code is 5728672#. The recording will also be available at kellyservices.com during this period.
About Kelly
Kelly Services, Inc. (Nasdaq: KELYA, KELYB) helps companies recruit and manage skilled workers and helps job seekers find great work. Since inventing the staffing industry in 1946, we have become experts in the many industries and local and global markets we serve. With a network of suppliers and partners around the world, we connect more than 500,000 people with work every year. Our suite of outsourcing and consulting services ensures companies have the people they need, when and where they are needed most. Headquartered in Troy, Michigan, we empower businesses and individuals to access limitless opportunities in industries such as science, engineering, technology, education, manufacturing, retail, finance, and energy. Revenue in 2023 was $4.8 billion. Learn more at kellyservices.com.
Kelly (Nasdaq: KELYA, KELYB) connects talented people to companies in need of their skills in areas including Science, Engineering, Education, Office, Contact Center, Light Industrial, and more. We’re always thinking about what’s next in the evolving world of work, and we help people ditch the script on old ways of thinking and embrace the value of all workstyles in the workplace. We directly employ nearly 350,000 people around the world and connect thousands more with work through our global network of talent suppliers and partners in our outsourcing and consulting practice. Revenue in 2021 was $4.9 billion. Visit kellyservices.com and let us help with what’s next for you.
Joe Gomes, Managing Director, Equity Research Analyst, Generalist , Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Joshua Zoepfel, Research Associate, Noble Capital Markets, Inc.
Refer to the full report for the price target, fundamental analysis, and rating.
4Q23 Results. Kelly reported revenue of $1,232.2 million, essentially flat y-o-y and down just 1.3% on a constant currency basis. We had estimated $1,220 million. Adjusted net income was $34.1 million or EPS of $0.93, compared to $7 million, or $0.18/sh last year. We had estimated EPS of $0.56. Adjusted EBITDA was $32.5 million, or a 2.6% margin, up from $24.1 million and 2%, respectively, last year. We had forecast $33.8 million.
International Sale. As previously announced, Kelly completed the sale of its International staffing business in early January. This business generated some $810 million of revenue and $120 million of gross profit in 2023.
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This Company Sponsored Research is provided by Noble Capital Markets, Inc., a FINRA and S.E.C. registered broker-dealer (B/D).
*Analyst certification and important disclosures included in the full report. NOTE: investment decisions should not be based upon the content of this research summary. Proper due diligence is required before making any investment decision.
