Toronto – November 19, 2024 – Talent acquisition firm The Caldwell Partners International Inc. (TSX: CWL; OTCQX: CWLPF) today issued its financial results for the fiscal 2024 fourth quarter and full year ended August 31, 2024. All references to quarters or years are for the fiscal periods unless otherwise noted and all currency amounts are in Canadian dollars.
Financial Highlights (in $000s except per share amounts)
| Three Months Ended | Year Ended | |||
| 8.31.24 | 8.31.23 | 8.31.24 | 8.31.23 | |
| Professional fees – Caldwell | 19,157 | 21,934 | 74,669 | 77,102 |
| Professional fees – IQTP¹ | 2,894 | 3,924 | 11,643 | 19,831 |
| Consolidated professional fees | 22,051 | 25,858 | 86,312 | 96,933 |
| Direct expense reimbursements | 182 | 295 | 839 | 868 |
| Revenues | 22,233 | 26,153 | 87,151 | 97,801 |
| Cost of sales | 17,522 | 20,394 | 68,620 | 80,712 |
| Reimbursed direct expenses | 182 | 295 | 839 | 868 |
| Gross profit | 4,529 | 5,464 | 17,692 | 16,221 |
| Selling, general and administrative expenses² | 4,458 | 4,235 | 18,612 | 19,218 |
| Restructuring (income) expenses³ | – | 8,061 | (7,979) | 10,591 |
| Acquisition-related expenses⁴ | – | – | – | 879 |
| Operating profit (loss) | 71 | (6,832) | 7,059 | (14,467) |
| Finance expenses (income) | 278 | 596 | 810 | (531) |
| Earnings (loss) before tax | (207) | (7,428) | 6,249 | (13,936) |
| Income tax expense (recovery) | 264 | (923) | 2,061 | (2,633) |
| Net earnings (loss) after tax | (471) | (6,505) | 4,188 | (11,303) |
| Basic earnings (loss) per share | ($0.016) | ($0.248) | $0.142 | ($0.432) |
1) Professional fees of IQTalent are presented net of elimination of intercompany revenue.
2) Selling, general and administrative expenses include an expense of $124 related to share-based compensation as a result of share price increase in the current quarter, compared to a benefit of $43 in the same quarter last year.
3) Restructuring income of $7,979 in the first half of the current year includes separation expense of $1,089 for management staff reductions at IQTalent, more than offset by a net gain on lease termination of $9,068 as IQTalent negotiated a termination of its Nashville leased facility resulting in a recovery of lease impairment charges expensed in the fourth quarter of the prior year. Restructuring expenses of $2,530 in the first quarter of the prior year include $2,264 of separation expense for staff reductions at IQTalent and $266 in onerous lease costs at Caldwell for the sublease of our San Francisco office as a result of our transition to a remote work environment.
4) Acquisition-related expenses consist of transaction fees and IQTalent purchase price structured as compensation expense, which were fully amortized into income as at 12/31/22.
“Fiscal 2024 was marked by economic and market uncertainty contributing to an ongoing suppression of hiring demand that kept search volumes per partner notably below our 10-year historical average,” said Chris Beck, chief executive officer. “Despite these challenges, Caldwell remained profitable, and we are pleased to report IQTalent’s return to operating profitability in the fourth quarter.”
“Caldwell’s professional fees for the fourth quarter were $19.2 million. This was weaker than anticipated after the strength seen in our third quarter, as new search volumes declined notably during July and August. Despite this, Caldwell remained back-half revenue weighted, with professional fees in the second half of the year representing a 30.8% increase over the first half. Caldwell’s full-year professional fees were relatively flat at $74.7 million. IQTalent’s professional fees for the fourth quarter were $2.9 million, which continues the stable performance seen throughout the year. While results in both segments reflect broader economic uncertainties, we are seeing an increase in new search volumes in our first quarter ending November 30, 2024 and expect to deliver marked improvement over our fourth quarter ended August 31, 2024 and last year’s first quarter ended November 30, 2023.”
Beck continued: “With the US election behind us and expectations of increased economic clarity, we are optimistic that improved hiring demand will follow. With an all-time high partner count and a cohort of new principals, combined with our continuing efforts to integrate evolving technology into our processes, we remain well positioned for the market recovery.”
With a view towards maximizing investor returns, the Board of Directors today also declared the reinstatement of a quarterly dividend, with a payment of 0.25 cents per Common Share payable to holders of Common Shares of record on December 2, 2024, and to be paid on December 20, 2024.
The Board of Directors has also announced its intention to pursue a Normal Course Issuer Bid (“NCIB”) to purchase for cancellation a portion of its public float of common shares, subject to approval by the Toronto Stock Exchange (“TSX”).
Click to read full financial statement.
About Caldwell Partners
Caldwell Partners is a technology-powered talent acquisition firm specializing in recruitment at all levels. Through two distinct brands – Caldwell and IQTalent – the firm leverages the latest innovations in AI to offer an integrated spectrum of services delivered by teams with deep knowledge in their respective areas. Services include candidate research and sourcing through to full recruitment at the professional, executive and board levels, as well as a suite of talent strategy and assessment tools that can help clients hire the right people, then manage and inspire them to achieve maximum business results.
Caldwell Partners’ common shares are listed on The Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX: CWL) and trade on the OTCQX Market (OTCQX: CWLPF). Please visit our website at www.caldwell.com for further information.
Forward-Looking Statements
Forward-looking statements in this document are based on current expectations subject to the significant risks and uncertainties cited. These forward-looking statements generally can be identified by the use of statements that include phrases such as “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “intend,” “plan,” “foresee,” “may,” “will,” “likely,” “estimates,” “potential,” “continue” or other similar words or phrases. Similarly, statements that describe our objectives, plans or goals also are forward-looking statements.
We are subject to many factors that could cause our actual results to differ materially from those contemplated by the relevant forward looking statement including, but not limited to, the impact of pandemic diseases, our ability to attract and retain key personnel; exposure to our partners taking our clients with them to another firm; the performance of the US, Canadian and international economies; risks related to deposit-taking institutions; foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; competition from other companies directly or indirectly engaged in talent acquisition; cybersecurity requirements, vulnerabilities, threats and attacks; damage to our brand reputation; our ability to align our cost structure to changes in our revenue; liability risk in the services we perform; potential legal liability from clients, employees and candidates for employment; reliance on software that we license from third parties; reliance on third-party contractors for talent acquisition support; the classification of third-party labour as contractors versus employee relationships; our ability to successfully recover from a disaster or other business continuity issues; adverse governmental and tax law rulings; successfully integrating or realizing the expected benefits from our acquisitions, adverse operating issues from acquired businesses; volatility of the market price and trading volume of our common shares; technological advances may significantly disrupt the labour market and weaken demand for human capital at a rapid rate; affiliation agreements may fail to renew or affiliates may be acquired; the impact on profitability from marketable securities valuation fluctuations; increasing dependence on third parties for the execution of critical functions; our ability to generate sufficient cash flow from operations to support our growth and fund any dividends; potential impairment of our acquired goodwill and intangible assets; and disruption as a result of actions of certain stockholders or potential acquirers of the Company. For more information on the factors that could affect the outcome of forward-looking statements, refer to the “Risk Factors” section of our Annual Information Form and other public filings (copies of which may be obtained at www.sedar.com). These factors should be considered carefully, and the reader should not place undue reliance on forward-looking statements. Although any forward-looking statements are based on what management currently believes to be reasonable assumptions, we cannot assure readers that actual results, performance or achievements will be consistent with these forward-looking statements. Management’s assumptions may prove to be incorrect. Except as required by Canadian securities laws, we do not undertake to update any forward-looking statements, whether written or oral, that may be made from time to time by us or on our behalf; such statements speak only as of the date made. The forward-looking statements included herein are expressly qualified in their entirety by this cautionary language.
For further information, please contact:
Investors:
Shreya Lathia, Vice President and Chief Financial Officer
slathia@caldwell.com
+1 (416) 934-2241
Media:
Caroline Lomot, Vice President of Marketing
clomot@caldwell.com
+1 (516) 830-3535
