Montrose Environmental Group Announces Fourth Quarter and Full Year 2021 Results

- Record Full Year Revenue, Organic Growth, Earnings, and Cash Flow -

- Strong Revenue Retention and New Customer Acquisition Fueling Growth -

- Continued Track Record of Strategic and Financially Accretive Acquisitions -

- Provides Outlook for Full Year 2022 -

LITTLE ROCK, Ark.--()--Montrose Environmental Group, Inc. (the “Company,” “Montrose” or “MEG”) (NYSE: MEG) today announced results for the fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2021.

Full Year and Fourth Quarter 2021 Highlights

  • 2021 revenue of $546.4 million increased 66.5% compared to the prior year. Fourth quarter revenue of $143.8 million increased 32.2% compared to the prior year quarter.
  • 2021 organic revenue growth was 37.0% including our CTEH response business and 17.0% excluding CTEH.
  • 2021 cash flow from operations before the payment of $15.6 million of acquisition related contingent consideration increased to a record $53.2 million.
  • Acquisitions in 2021 were funded almost entirely by operating cash flows. Despite completing two attractive acquisitions in the fourth quarter of 2021, our balance sheet remains very strong and leverage of 0.8 times did not increase from the prior quarter.
  • 2021 net loss of $25.3 million compared to a net loss of $57.9 million in the prior year. Fourth quarter net loss of $1.5 million compared to net income of $0.8 million in the prior year quarter, primarily due to changes in non-cash fair value adjustments.
  • 2021 Adjusted EBITDA1 of $77.6 million grew 42.5% compared to the prior year. Adjusted EBITDA margin1 for 2021 was 14.2%. Fourth quarter Adjusted EBITDA1 and Adjusted EBITDA margin1 were $18.4 million and 12.8%, respectively.
  • Inaugural and strong A rating from MSCI (which provides ESG ratings for the investment community) with continued recognition for excellence with environmental solutions, employee safety and strong labor management practices.

(1)

Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin are non-GAAP measures. See the appendix to this release for a discussion of these measures, including how they are calculated and the reasons why we believe they provide useful information to investors, and a reconciliation for historical periods of Adjusted EBITDA to net (loss) income, the most directly comparable GAAP measure.

Montrose Chief Executive Officer and Director, Vijay Manthripragada, commented, “We headed into 2021 with a lot of uncertainty both for Montrose and our industry, and it ended up being a record-breaking year for Montrose with lots of continued positive momentum into 2022. In 2021, we crossed the threshold of $0.5 billion in revenue, we enjoyed the highest organic growth in the business during my tenure, we continued our strong revenue retention, we added new and notable customers and geographies that will be core to our future, we funded our accretive acquisitions almost exclusively from our operating cash flows, we added and promoted some incredible talent throughout the organization, we added to our IP portfolio, environmental data capabilities and technology partnerships, we kept our people safe, and we continued to create incredible opportunities for our teams and our business. I will keep saying it because it is true; these incredible results and accomplishments belong to our teams who did all this in the midst of a pandemic. They positioned themselves and Montrose for a very bright future. I remain grateful and honored to be on this journey with them.”

“Despite an expected deceleration in our CTEH COVID-19 response business in the fourth quarter, which continues to outperform relative to historical levels, our organic growth for core environmental services accelerated given our capabilities related to greenhouse gas measurement and mitigation, PFAS remediation, and waste-to-energy services in particular. Coupled with the six acquisitions we closed in 2021 which added great talent and service capabilities to our team and have already started to create revenue synergy opportunities, we are excited about what the future holds for us.”

Mr. Manthripragada continued, “As we consider the current economic and geopolitical climate, we believe we are well positioned to continue performing well and creating shareholder value for the following reasons: (i) our operating cash flow continues to grow rapidly and attractively, (ii) our organic revenue growth continues to accelerate given strong demand for our solutions and tailwinds in our industry, (iii) our acquisition pipeline remains very strong, (iv) our leverage is low and the interest rate on a significant portion of our debt is locked, which materially mitigates our cost of capital risk, and (v) by continuing to provide differentiated services, we continue to successfully partner with our clients on optimized pricing. For all these reasons, we are arguably more optimistic than we were before and our longer-term outlook has not changed. Most importantly, we have little doubt that our mission of helping to protect the air we breathe, the water we drink, and the soil that feeds us is increasingly resonating with our clients, our colleagues, our communities and our shareholders.”

Full Year 2021 Results

Total revenue in the full year 2021 increased 66.5% to $546.4 million compared to $328.2 million in the prior year period. Excluding discontinued services, which generated no revenue and $3.8 million in the 2021 and 2020 periods, respectively, total revenue increased 68.4%. The increase in revenue was driven by organic growth in our Assessment, Permitting and Response and Remediation and Reuse segments, a full twelve-months of results of CTEH which contributed to nine months of results in 2020, and the acquisitions of MSE Group, LLC (MSE) in January 2021, Vista Analytical Laboratory, Inc. (Vista) in June 2021, Environmental Intelligence, LLC (EI) in July 2021, Environmental Chemistry, Inc. (ECI) in October 2021, and Horizon Water and Environment, LLC (Horizon) in November 2021.

Net loss was $25.3 million compared to a net loss of $57.9 million in the prior year period. The year-over-year difference in net loss primarily reflected higher revenues in the current year, as well as lower, non-cash fair value charges in the current year when compared to the prior year related to contingent earn-out obligations and the Series A-2 preferred stock.

Adjusted EBITDA1 increased 42.5% to $77.6 million compared to $54.5 million in the prior year period. The increase in Adjusted EBITDA1 was due to higher revenues. Adjusted EBITDA margin1 was 14.2%, compared to 16.6% in the prior year mainly due to business mix, including the lower margin pandemic response services provided by CTEH, a full year of public company costs in the current year that existed during only a portion of the prior year, the planned and expected normalization of margins in certain business lines following the reversal of COVID-19 related initiatives, and investments in corporate infrastructure.

Fourth Quarter 2021 Results

Total revenue in the fourth quarter of 2021 increased 32.2% to $143.8 million compared to $108.7 million in the prior year quarter. The increase in revenues was primarily driven by organic growth in our Measurement and Analysis and Remediation and Reuse segments, partially offset by lower CTEH revenues as a result of a slowdown in COVID-19 related work. Fourth quarter revenue growth also benefited from the 2021 acquisitions of MSE Group, LLC, Vista Analytical Laboratory, Inc., Environmental Intelligence, LLC, Environmental Chemistry, Inc., and Horizon Water and Environment, LLC.

Net loss was $1.5 million, compared to a net income of $0.8 million in the prior year quarter. The year-over-year change was primarily attributable to charges related to non-cash fair value adjustments in the current year, compared to a net gain on fair value adjustments in the prior year, related to contingent earn-out obligations and the Series A-2 preferred stock.

Adjusted EBITDA1 was $18.4 million, compared to $18.3 million in the prior year quarter. Adjusted EBITDA margin1 was 12.8% compared to 16.8% in the prior year quarter, mainly due to business mix, higher employee bonuses, higher public company costs, and the planned and expected normalization of margins in certain business lines following temporary cost mitigation actions taken at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, which have been reversed.

Operating Cash Flow, Liquidity and Capital Resources

Cash flow from operating activities for the full year ended December 31, 2021 was $37.6 million compared to cash from operating activities of $1.9 million in the prior year period. Cash flow from operations includes payment of contingent consideration of $15.6 million and $6.4 million in current and prior year periods, respectively. Excluding these acquisition-related contingent earnout payments, which are not part of day-to-day operations, cash flow from operating activities was a record $53.2 million compared to a cash flow of $8.3 million in the prior year period, an increase of $44.9 million.

At December 31, 2021, Montrose had total debt, before debt issuance costs, of $175.0 million and $271.3 million of liquidity, including $146.3 million of cash and $125.0 million of availability on its revolving credit facility. As of December 31, 2021, Montrose’s leverage ratio under its credit facility, which includes the impact of acquisition-related contingent earnout payments that may become payable in cash and the impact of our fourth quarter acquisitions, remained 0.8 times.

Recent Developments

In January 2022, Montrose acquired Environmental Standards, Inc. (“ESI”), an internationally recognized environmental consulting firm. ESI is part of the Company’s Assessment, Permitting & Response segment.

In addition, in January, 2022, the Company entered into an interest rate swap transaction fixing the floating component of the interest rate on $100.0 million of borrowings to 1.39% until January 27, 2025.

Full Year 2022 Outlook

The Company is introducing its full year 2022 outlook for revenue to be in the range of $520.0 million to $570.0 million and Adjusted EBITDA1 to be in the range of $73.0 million to $78.0 million.

The Company’s 2022 forecast reflects an expectation of continued organic growth outperformance relative to the Company’s historical average of 7.0% - 9.0% (excluding CTEH). The 2022 forecast also reflects revenue from CTEH to exceed $100.0 million due to some continuation of COVID-19 related services, which is higher than CTEH’s $75.0 - $95.0 million revenue run-rate but lower than CTEH’s 2021 performance.

The outlook does not include any benefit from future acquisitions that have not yet been completed.

Webcast and Conference Call

CEO Vijay Manthripragada and CFO Allan Dicks will host a webcast and conference call on Tuesday, March 1, 2022 at 8:30 a.m. Eastern time to discuss fourth quarter and full year financial results. Their prepared remarks will be followed by a question and answer session. A live webcast of the conference call will be available in the Investors section of the Montrose website at www.montrose-env.com. The conference call will also be accessible by dialing 1-877-407-9208 (Domestic) and 1-201-493-6784 (International). For those who are unable to listen to the live broadcast, an audio replay of the conference call will be available on the Montrose website for 30 days.

About Montrose

Montrose is a leading environmental solutions company focused on supporting commercial and government organizations as they deal with the challenges of today, and prepare for what’s coming tomorrow. With more than 2500 employees across over 80 locations around the world, Montrose combines deep local knowledge with an integrated approach to design, engineering, and operations, enabling the Company to respond effectively and efficiently to the unique requirements of each project. From comprehensive air measurement and laboratory services to regulatory compliance, emergency response, permitting, engineering, and remediation, Montrose delivers innovative and practical solutions that keep its clients on top of their immediate needs – and well ahead of the strategic curve. For more information, visit www.montrose-env.com.

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934, as amended. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as “intend,” “expect”, and “may”, and other similar expressions that predict or indicate future events or that are not statements of historical matters. Forward-looking statements are based on current information available at the time the statements are made and on management’s reasonable belief or expectations with respect to future events, and are subject to risks and uncertainties, many of which are beyond the Company’s control, that could cause actual performance or results to differ materially from the belief or expectations expressed in or suggested by the forward-looking statements. Further, many of these factors are, and may continue to be, amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. Additional factors or events that could cause actual results to differ may also emerge from time to time, and it is not possible for the Company to predict all of them. Forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made, and the Company undertakes no obligation to update any forward-looking statement to reflect future events, developments or otherwise, except as may be required by applicable law. Investors are referred to the Company’s filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2021, for additional information regarding the risks and uncertainties that may cause actual results to differ materially from those expressed in any forward-looking statement.

MONTROSE ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF OPERATIONS AND

COMPREHENSIVE (LOSS) INCOME

(In thousands, except per share data)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

(Unaudited)

 

 

 

For the Year Ended
December 31,

 

 

For the Quarter Ended
December 31,

 

 

 

2021

 

 

2020

 

 

2021

 

 

2020

 

REVENUES

 

$

546,413

 

 

$

328,243

 

 

$

143,794

 

 

$

108,741

 

COST OF REVENUES (exclusive of
depreciation and amortization shown below)

 

 

369,028

 

 

 

215,492

 

 

 

96,366

 

 

 

73,377

 

SELLING, GENERAL AND ADMINISTRATIVE
EXPENSE

 

 

117,658

 

 

 

85,546

 

 

 

34,793

 

 

 

20,736

 

FAIR VALUE CHANGES IN BUSINESS
ACQUISITIONS CONTINGENT
CONSIDERATION

 

 

24,372

 

 

 

12,942

 

 

 

337

 

 

 

(4,445

)

DEPRECIATION AND AMORTIZATION

 

 

44,810

 

 

 

37,274

 

 

 

11,665

 

 

 

10,190

 

(LOSS) INCOME FROM OPERATIONS

 

 

(9,455

)

 

 

(23,011

)

 

 

633

 

 

 

8,883

 

OTHER EXPENSE

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Other expense

 

 

(2,546

)

 

 

(20,268

)

 

 

(637

)

 

 

(2,734

)

Interest expense—net

 

 

(11,615

)

 

 

(13,819

)

 

 

(407

)

 

 

(2,923

)

Total other expenses—net

 

 

(14,161

)

 

 

(34,087

)

 

 

(1,044

)

 

 

(5,657

)

(LOSS) INCOME BEFORE EXPENSE
FROM INCOME TAXES

 

 

(23,616

)

 

 

(57,098

)

 

 

(411

)

 

 

3,226

 

INCOME TAX EXPENSE

 

 

1,709

 

 

 

851

 

 

 

1,061

 

 

 

2,414

 

NET (LOSS) INCOME

 

$

(25,325

)

 

$

(57,949

)

 

$

(1,472

)

 

$

812

 

EQUITY ADJUSTMENT FROM FOREIGN
CURRENCY TRANSLATION

 

 

(35

)

 

 

111

 

 

 

(18

)

 

 

84

 

COMPREHENSIVE (LOSS) INCOME

 

 

(25,360

)

 

 

(57,838

)

 

 

(1,490

)

 

 

896

 

ACCRETION OF REDEEMABLE SERIES A-1
PREFERRED STOCK

 

 

 

 

 

(17,601

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

REDEEMABLE SERIES A-1 PREFERRED
STOCK DEEMED DIVIDEND

 

 

 

 

 

(24,341

)

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONVERTIBLE AND REDEEMABLE
SERIES A-2 PREFERRED
STOCK DIVIDEND

 

 

(16,400

)

 

 

(6,970

)

 

 

(4,100

)

 

 

(4,100

)

NET LOSS ATTRIBUTABLE TO
COMMON STOCKHOLDERS

 

 

(41,725

)

 

 

(106,861

)

 

 

(5,572

)

 

 

(3,288

)

WEIGHTED AVERAGE COMMON SHARES
OUTSTANDING— BASIC AND DILUTED

 

 

26,724

 

 

 

16,479

 

 

 

29,503

 

 

 

24,909

 

NET LOSS PER SHARE ATTRIBUTABLE
TO COMMON STOCKHOLDERS—
BASIC AND DILUTED

 

$

(1.56

)

 

$

(6.48

)

 

$

(0.19

)

 

$

(0.13

)

MONTROSE ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF FINANCIAL POSITION

(In thousands, except share data)

 

 

 

December 31,
2021

 

 

December 31,
2020

 

ASSETS

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CURRENT ASSETS:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash

 

$

146,254

 

 

$

34,386

 

Restricted cash

 

 

487

 

 

 

495

 

Accounts receivable—net

 

 

98,513

 

 

 

54,102

 

Contract assets

 

 

40,139

 

 

 

38,576

 

Prepaid and other current assets

 

 

7,957

 

 

 

6,709

 

Income tax receivable

 

 

508

 

 

 

 

Total current assets

 

 

293,858

 

 

 

134,268

 

NON-CURRENT ASSETS:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Property and equipment—net

 

 

31,521

 

 

 

34,399

 

Operating lease right-of-use asset—net

 

 

23,532

 

 

 

 

Finance lease right-of-use asset—net

 

 

8,944

 

 

 

 

Goodwill

 

 

311,944

 

 

 

274,667

 

Other intangible assets—net

 

 

160,997

 

 

 

154,854

 

Other assets

 

 

2,298

 

 

 

4,538

 

TOTAL ASSETS

 

$

833,094

 

 

$

602,726

 

LIABILITIES, CONVERTIBLE AND REDEEMABLE SERIES A-2
PREFERRED STOCK AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CURRENT LIABILITIES:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities

 

 

68,936

 

 

 

34,621

 

Accrued payroll and benefits

 

 

25,971

 

 

 

21,181

 

Business acquisitions contingent consideration, current

 

 

31,450

 

 

 

49,902

 

Income tax payable

 

 

 

 

 

256

 

Current portion of operating lease liabilities

 

 

6,888

 

 

 

 

Current portion of finance lease liabilities

 

 

3,512

 

 

 

 

Current portion of long-term debt

 

 

10,938

 

 

 

5,583

 

Total current liabilities

 

 

147,695

 

 

 

111,543

 

NON-CURRENT LIABILITIES:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Business acquisitions contingent consideration, long-term

 

 

4,350

 

 

 

4,565

 

Other non-current liabilities

 

 

100

 

 

 

2,523

 

Deferred tax liabilities—net

 

 

4,006

 

 

 

2,815

 

Conversion option

 

 

23,081

 

 

 

20,886

 

Operating lease liability—net of current portion

 

 

16,859

 

 

 

 

Finance lease liability—net of current portion

 

 

5,756

 

 

 

 

Long-term debt—net of deferred financing fees

 

 

161,818

 

 

 

170,321

 

Total liabilities

 

 

363,665

 

 

 

312,653

 

COMMITMENTS AND CONTINGENCIES

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

CONVERTIBLE AND REDEEMABLE SERIES A-2 PREFERRED STOCK $0.0001
PAR VALUE—

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Authorized, issued and outstanding shares: 17,500 at December 31, 2021
and 2020; aggregate liquidation preference of
$182.2 million at December 31, 2021 and 2020

 

 

152,928

 

 

 

152,928

 

STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Common stock, $0.000004 par value; authorized shares: 190,000,000
at December 31, 2021 and 2020; issued and outstanding shares: 29,619,921 and
24,932,527 at December 31, 2021 and 2020, respectively

 

 

 

 

 

 

Additional paid-in capital

 

 

464,143

 

 

 

259,427

 

Accumulated deficit

 

 

(147,678

)

 

 

(122,353

)

Accumulated other comprehensive income

 

 

36

 

 

 

71

 

Total stockholders’ equity

 

 

316,501

 

 

 

137,145

 

TOTAL LIABILITIES, CONVERTIBLE AND REDEEMABLE SERIES A-2
PREFERRED STOCK AND STOCKHOLDERS’ EQUITY

 

$

833,094

 

 

$

602,726

 

MONTROSE ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(In thousands)

 

 

 

For the Year Ended
December 31,

 

 

 

2021

 

 

2020

 

OPERATING ACTIVITIES:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Net loss

 

$

(25,325

)

 

$

(57,949

)

Adjustments to reconcile net loss to net cash
provided by operating activities:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Provision for bad debt

 

 

1,135

 

 

 

4,532

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

44,810

 

 

 

37,274

 

Amortization of right-of-use asset

 

 

8,151

 

 

 

 

Stock-based compensation expense

 

 

10,321

 

 

 

4,849

 

Fair value changes in financial instruments

 

 

2,195

 

 

 

20,319

 

Fair value changes in business acquisitions
contingent consideration

 

 

24,372

 

 

 

12,942

 

Deferred income taxes

 

 

1,709

 

 

 

851

 

Amortization of deferred financing costs

 

 

404

 

 

 

1,810

 

Debt extinguishment costs

 

 

4,052

 

 

 

 

Other

 

 

(599

)

 

 

278

 

Changes in operating assets and liabilities—net of acquisitions:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Accounts receivable and contract assets

 

 

(36,164

)

 

 

(19,202

)

Prepaid expenses and other current assets

 

 

(886

)

 

 

(956

)

Accounts payable and other accrued liabilities

 

 

23,996

 

 

 

601

 

Accrued payroll and benefits

 

 

3,244

 

 

 

6,072

 

Payment of contingent consideration and other assumed purchase price obligations

 

 

(15,628

)

 

 

(6,390

)

Change in operating leases

 

 

(7,944

)

 

 

 

Other assets

 

 

(262

)

 

 

(3,181

)

Net cash provided by operating activities

 

$

37,581

 

 

$

1,850

 

INVESTING ACTIVITIES:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proceeds from property insurance

 

 

413

 

 

 

 

Purchases of property and equipment

 

 

(6,885

)

 

 

(7,206

)

Proceeds received from the sale of property and equipment

 

 

597

 

 

 

20

 

Proprietary software development and other software costs

 

 

(699

)

 

 

(570

)

Payment of assumed purchase price obligations

 

 

(9,336

)

 

 

 

Proceeds from net working capital adjustment related to acquisitions

 

 

 

 

 

1,939

 

Cash paid for acquisitions—net of cash acquired

 

 

(55,731

)

 

 

(173,923

)

Net cash used in investing activities

 

$

(71,641

)

 

$

(179,740

)

FINANCING ACTIVITIES:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Proceeds from line of credit

 

 

109,000

 

 

 

104,390

 

Payments on line of credit

 

 

(109,000

)

 

 

(201,980

)

Proceeds from term loans

 

 

175,000

 

 

 

175,000

 

Repayment of term loans

 

 

(173,905

)

 

 

(49,844

)

Payment of contingent consideration and other assumed purchase
price obligations

 

 

(9,865

)

 

 

(6,004

)

Repayment of finance leases

 

 

(2,711

)

 

 

(2,848

)

Proceeds from issuance of common stock
in public offerings, net of issuance costs

 

 

169,783

 

 

 

161,288

 

Payments of deferred offering costs

 

 

(446

)

 

 

(4,164

)

Prepayment premium on credit facility

 

 

 

 

 

(351

)

Debt issuance cost

 

 

(2,590

)

 

 

(4,866

)

Proceeds from issuance of common stock for exercised
stock options

 

 

7,237

 

 

 

408

 

Issuance of series A-1 and series A-2
preferred stock and warrant, net of issuance costs

 

 

 

 

 

173,664

 

Redemption of the series A-1 preferred stock

 

 

 

 

 

(131,821

)

Dividend payment to the series A-2 shareholders

 

 

(16,400

)

 

 

(6,970

)

Net cash provided by financing activities

 

$

146,103

 

 

$

205,902

 

CHANGE IN CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND
RESTRICTED CASH

 

$

112,043

 

 

$

28,012

 

Foreign exchange impact on cash balance

 

 

(183

)

 

 

(15

)

CASH, CASH EQUIVALENTS AND RESTRICTED CASH:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Beginning of year

 

 

34,881

 

 

 

6,884

 

End of period

 

$

146,741

 

 

$

34,881

 

(continued in next page)

 

MONTROSE ENVIRONMENTAL GROUP, INC.

CONSOLIDATED STATEMENTS OF CASH FLOWS

(In thousands)

 

 

 

For the Year Ended
December 31,

 

 

 

2021

 

 

2020

 

SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES OF CASH FLOWS INFORMATION:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cash paid for interest

 

$

5,012

 

 

$

11,947

 

Cash paid for income tax

 

$

412

 

 

$

171

 

SUPPLEMENTAL DISCLOSURES OF NON-CASH INVESTING AND FINANCING ACTIVITIES:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Preferred stock deemed dividend—net of return from holders

 

$

 

 

$

24,341

 

Redemption of preferred stock in common shares

 

$

 

 

$

26,801

 

Accrued purchases of property and equipment

 

$

790

 

 

$

432

 

Property and equipment purchased under finance leases

 

$

1,766

 

 

$

2,113

 

Accretion of the redeemable series A-1 preferred stock to redeemable value

 

$

 

 

$

17,601

 

Common stock issued to acquire new businesses

 

$

8,320

 

 

$

25,000

 

Acquisitions unpaid contingent consideration

 

$

35,800

 

 

$

54,467

 

Acquisitions contingent consideration paid in shares

 

$

26,084

 

 

$

 

Offering costs included in accounts payable and other accrued liabilities

 

$

183

 

 

$

 

(concluded)

Non-GAAP Financial Information

In addition to our results under GAAP, in this release we also present certain other supplemental financial measures of financial performance that are not required by, or presented in accordance with, GAAP, including Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin. We calculate Adjusted EBITDA as net (loss) income before interest expense, income tax expense (benefit) and depreciation and amortization, adjusted for the impact of certain other items, including stock-based compensation expense and acquisition-related costs, as set forth in greater detail in the table below. Adjusted EBITDA margin represents Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues for a given period.

Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin are two of the primary metrics used by management to evaluate our financial performance and compare it to that of our peers, evaluate the effectiveness of our business strategies, make budgeting and capital allocation decisions and in connection with our executive incentive compensation. These measures are also frequently used by analysts, investors and other interested parties to evaluate companies in our industry. Further, we believe they are helpful in highlighting trends in our operating results because they allow for more consistent comparisons of financial performance between periods by excluding gains and losses that are non-operational in nature or outside the control of management, as well as items that may differ significantly depending on long-term strategic decisions regarding capital structure, the tax jurisdictions in which we operate and capital investments.

These non-GAAP measures do, however, have certain limitations and should not be considered as an alternative to net (loss) income or any other performance measure derived in accordance with GAAP. Our presentation of Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin should not be construed as an inference that our future results will be unaffected by unusual or non-recurring items for which we may make adjustments. In addition, Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin may not be comparable to similarly titled measures used by other companies in our industry or across different industries, and other companies may not present these or similar measures. Management compensates for these limitations by using these measures as supplemental financial metrics and in conjunction with our results prepared in accordance with GAAP. We encourage investors and others to review our financial information in its entirety, not to rely on any single measure and to view Adjusted EBITDA and Adjusted EBITDA margin in conjunction with the related GAAP measures.

Additionally, we have provided estimates regarding Adjusted EBITDA for 2022. These projections account for estimates of revenue, operating margins and corporate and other costs. However, we cannot reconcile our projection of Adjusted EBITDA to net (loss) income, the most directly comparable GAAP measure, without unreasonable efforts because of the unpredictable or unknown nature of certain significant items excluded from Adjusted EBITDA and the resulting difficulty in quantifying the amounts thereof that are necessary to estimate net (loss) income. Specifically, we are unable to estimate for the future impact of certain items, including income tax (expense) benefit, stock-based compensation expense, fair value changes and the accounting for the issuance of the Series A-2 preferred stock. We expect the variability of these items could have a significant impact on our reported GAAP financial results.

Montrose Environmental Group, Inc.

Reconciliation of Net (Loss) Income to Adjusted EBITDA

(in thousands)

 

 

 

For the Year Ended
December 31,

 

 

For the Quarter Ended
December 31,

 

(in thousands)

 

2021

 

 

2020

 

 

2021

 

 

2020

 

Net (loss) income

 

$

(25,325

)

 

$

(57,949

)

 

$

(1,472

)

 

$

812

 

Interest expense

 

 

11,615

 

 

 

13,819

 

 

 

407

 

 

 

2,923

 

Income tax expense

 

 

1,709

 

 

 

851

 

 

 

1,061

 

 

 

2,414

 

Depreciation and amortization

 

 

44,810

 

 

 

37,274

 

 

 

11,665

 

 

 

10,190

 

EBITDA

 

$

32,809

 

 

$

(6,005

)

 

$

11,661

 

 

$

16,339

 

Stock-based compensation (1)

 

 

10,321

 

 

 

4,849

 

 

 

3,734

 

 

 

1,410

 

Start-up losses and investment in new services (2)

 

 

4,407

 

 

 

2,182

 

 

 

1,131

 

 

 

899

 

Acquisition costs (3)

 

 

2,088

 

 

 

4,344

 

 

 

432

 

 

 

577

 

Fair value changes in financial instruments (4)

 

 

2,195

 

 

 

20,319

 

 

 

544

 

 

 

2,827

 

Expenses related to financing transactions (5)

 

 

50

 

 

 

378

 

 

 

 

 

 

101

 

Fair value changes in business acquisitions
contingent consideration (6)

 

 

24,372

 

 

 

12,942

 

 

 

337

 

 

 

(4,445

)

Short term purchase accounting fair value
adjustment to deferred revenue (7)

 

 

 

 

 

243

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Public offering expense (8)

 

 

 

 

 

7,657

 

 

 

 

 

 

749

 

Discontinued service lines and closing of Berkley
lab (9)

 

 

 

 

 

5,662

 

 

 

 

 

 

(1,864

)

Other losses and expenses(10)

 

 

1,400

 

 

 

1,905

 

 

 

554

 

 

 

1,726

 

Adjusted EBITDA

 

$

77,642

 

 

$

54,476

 

 

$

18,393

 

 

$

18,319

 

(1)

Represents non-cash stock-based compensation expenses related to (i) option awards issued to employees, (ii) restricted stock grants issued to directors and selected employees, (iii) and stock appreciation rights grants issued to selected employees.

(2)

Represent start-up losses related to losses incurred on (i) the expansion of lab testing methods and lab capacity, including into new geographies, (ii) introduction of new software and consulting service lines (iii) expansion into Europe in advance of projects driven by new regulations.

(3)

Includes financial and tax diligence, consulting, legal, valuation, accounting and travel costs and acquisition-related incentives related to our acquisition activity.

(4)

Amounts relate to the change in fair value of the embedded derivatives and warrant options attached to the Series A-1 preferred stock and the Series A-2 preferred stock.

(5)

Amounts represent non-capitalizable expenses associated with refinancing and amending our debt facilities.

(6)

Reflects the difference between the expected settlement value of acquisition related earn-out payments at the time of the closing of acquisitions and the expected (or actual) value of earn-outs at the end of the relevant period.

(7)

Purchase accounting fair value adjustment to deferred revenue represents the impact of the fair value adjustment to the carrying value of deferred revenue as of the date of acquisition of ECT2.

(8)

Represents expenses incurred by us to prepare for our initial public offering, costs from IPO-related bonuses, and costs related to the November 2020 secondary public offering.

(9)

Represents loss (earnings) from the Discontinued Service Lines and the Berkeley lab. See “—Overview—Key Factors that Affect Our Business and Our Results” in the Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations in our 2021 10-K.

(10)

Represents non-operational charges incurred as a result of lease abandonments and non-capitalizable costs related to the implementation of a new ERP, net of insurance gains.

 

Contacts

Investor Relations:
Rodny Nacier
(949) 988-3383
ir@montrose-env.com

Media Relations:
Doug Donsky
(646) 361-1427
Montrose@icrinc.com

Contacts

Investor Relations:
Rodny Nacier
(949) 988-3383
ir@montrose-env.com

Media Relations:
Doug Donsky
(646) 361-1427
Montrose@icrinc.com