Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc. HSII

Delivers Strong Revenue Performance with Robust Profitability

Restructuring for Accelerated Growth Implemented in the Quarter

Declares $0.15 Per Share Cash Dividend

CHICAGO, July 29, 2024  /PRNewswire/ -- Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc. (Nasdaq: HSII) ("Heidrick & Struggles", "Heidrick" or the "Company"), a premier provider of global leadership advisory and on-demand talent solutions, today announced financial results for its second quarter ended June 30, 2024.

Second Quarter Highlights:

• Net revenue grew to $278.6 million driven by all businesses
• Adjusted EBITDA was $28.8 million
• Adjusted EBITDA margin was 10.3%

"Our team delivered a strong second quarter. In a very complex operating environment, clients continue to need help engaging, assessing and enabling critical leadership talent – and our world-class colleagues met those needs with energy and creativity. This work helped propel our second quarter revenue beyond the high end of our outlook range while generating a double-digit EBITDA margin," stated CEO Tom Monahan.

"Even as we continued to deliver value to clients, we also made important changes to our leadership team and staffing levels. As a result, we enter the second half of the year with more targeted solutions and better alignment of our organization with client needs. Going forward, we are tightly focused on accelerating returns from our recent investment cycle and on creating unmatched value for clients, colleagues and investors."

2024 Second Quarter Results

Consolidated net revenue of $278.6 million compared to $271.2 million in the 2023 second quarter. The Company experienced revenue growth in On-Demand Talent, Heidrick Consulting, and Executive Search in the Americas and Asia Pacific, partially offset by a decrease in Executive Search in Europe. 

Adjusted EBITDA was $28.8 million compared to $34.9 million in the 2023 second quarter. Adjusted EBITDA margin was 10.3%, compared to 12.9% in the 2023 second quarter. In Executive Search, Adjusted EBITDA was $52.7 million compared to $53.2 million in the prior year period. In On-Demand Talent, Adjusted EBITDA was a loss of $1.6 million versus a gain of $2.6 million in the prior year period. In Heidrick Consulting, Adjusted EBITDA was a loss of $1.4 million compared to a loss of $1.7 million in the prior year period.

In the 2024 second quarter, the company recorded a non-cash goodwill impairment charge of $16.2 million primarily related to the Company's On-Demand Talent segment, a $6.9 million restructuring charge and a $1.2 million earnout fair value adjustment. In the 2023 second quarter, the Company recorded a non-cash goodwill impairment charge of $7.2 million associated with the Company's Heidrick Consulting segment.

Including these unusual charges in the 2024 second quarter, net loss was $5.2 million and diluted loss per share was $0.25. Excluding these unusual charges in both the 2024 and 2023 second quarters, adjusted net income was $14.1 million and adjusted diluted earnings per share was $0.67, with an adjusted effective tax rate of 40.9%, in the 2024 second quarter. This compares to adjusted net income of $15.0 million and adjusted diluted earnings per share of $0.73, with an adjusted effective tax rate of 37.7% in the 2023 second quarter.

Executive Search net revenue of $210.0 million increased 1.5% compared to net revenue of $206.8 million in the 2023 second quarter. Excluding the impact of exchange rate fluctuations, which negatively impacted results by 0.4%, or $0.9 million, net revenue increased 2.0%, or $4.1 million from the 2023 second quarter. Net revenue increased 6.1% in the Americas (up 6.3% on a constant currency basis), decreased 12.0% in Europe (down 11.7% on a constant currency basis), and increased 0.7% in Asia Pacific (up 3.3% on a constant currency basis) when compared to the prior year second quarter. All practice groups, except for Consumer and Industrial, exhibited growth over the prior year period. 

The Company had 415 Executive Search consultants at June 30, 2024, compared to 423 at June 30, 2023. Productivity, as measured by annualized Executive Search net revenue per consultant, was $2.0 million compared to $1.9 million in the 2023 second quarter, reflecting a lower number of consultants combined with higher revenue. Average revenue per executive search was approximately $151,000 compared to $146,000 in the prior year period. The number of search confirmations decreased 1.6% compared to the year-ago period.

On-Demand Talent net revenue of $41.9 million increased 6.8% compared to net revenue of $39.2 million in the 2023 second quarter. Excluding the impact of exchange rate fluctuations, which negatively impacted results by $0.2 million, or 0.5%, net revenue increased 7.3%, or $2.9 million from the 2023 second quarter.

Heidrick Consulting net revenue of $26.8 million increased 6.2% compared to net revenue of $25.2 million in the 2023 second quarter. The Company had 85 Heidrick Consulting consultants at June 30, 2024, compared to 89 at June 30, 2023. 

Consolidated salaries and benefits decreased $1.0 million to $177.9 million compared to $178.9 million in the 2023 second quarter. Year-over-year, fixed compensation expense decreased $3.0 million due to decreases in separation expense, talent acquisition and retention costs, retirement and benefits expenses, and expenses related to the deferred compensation plan, partially offset by increases in stock compensation, and base salaries and payroll taxes. Variable compensation increased $1.9 million due to an increase in consultant production. Salaries and benefits expense was 63.8% of net revenue for the quarter, compared to 66.0% in the 2023 second quarter.

General and administrative expenses increased $5.9 million, or 14.7%, to $46.5 million compared to $40.5 million in the 2023 second quarter. The increase was due to the 2024 Global Conference, earnout fair value adjustments, professional fees, office occupancy, hiring fees, IT, and marketing, partially offset by decreases in intangible amortization, travel and entertainment, and the use of external third-party consultants. As a percentage of net revenue, general and administrative expenses were 16.7% for the 2024 second quarter compared to 14.9% in the 2023 second quarter.

The Company's cost of services was $29.7 million, or 10.7% of net revenue for the quarter, compared to $25.3 million, or 9.3% of net revenue in the 2023 second quarter. This primarily related to an increase in the volume of On-Demand Talent and Heidrick Consulting projects.

The Company's research and development expenses were $5.6 million, or 2.0%, of net revenue for the quarter compared to $5.7 million, or 2.1%, of net revenue for the second quarter 2023.

Net cash provided by operating activities was $62.5 million compared to net cash provided by operating activities of $46.9 million in the 2023 second quarter. Cash, cash equivalents and marketable securities at June 30, 2024 was $296.9 million compared to $239.0 million at June 30, 2023 and $478.2 million at December 31, 2023. The Company's cash position typically builds throughout the year as employee bonuses are accrued, mostly to be paid out in the first half of the year following the year in which they are earned.

Dividend

The Board of Directors declared a 2024 second quarter cash dividend of $0.15 per share payable on August 22, 2024, to shareholders of record at the close of business on August 9, 2024. 

2024 Third Quarter Outlook

The Company expects 2024 third quarter consolidated net revenue of between $260 million and $280 million, while acknowledging that continued fluidity in external factors, such as the foreign exchange and interest rate environments, foreign conflicts, inflation and macroeconomic constraints on pricing actions, may impact quarterly results. In addition, this outlook is based on the average currency rates in June 2024 and reflects, among other factors, management's assumptions for the anticipated volume of new Executive Search confirmations, On-Demand Talent projects, and Heidrick Consulting assignments, consultant productivity, consultant retention, and the seasonality of the business along with the current backlog.

Quarterly Webcast and Conference Call

Heidrick & Struggles will host a conference call to review its second quarter results today, July 29, 2024 at 5:30 pm Eastern Time. Participants may access the Company's call and supporting slides through its website at www.heidrick.com or by dialing (800) 715-9871 or (646) 307-1963, conference ID# 4805686. For those unable to participate on the live call, a webcast and copy of the slides will be archived at www.heidrick.com and available for up to 30 days following the investor call. 

About Heidrick & Struggles International, Inc.

Heidrick & Struggles (Nasdaq: HSII) is a premier provider of global leadership advisory and on-demand talent solutions, serving the senior-level talent and consulting needs of the world's top organizations. In our role as trusted leadership advisors, we partner with our clients to develop future-ready leaders and organizations, bringing together our services and offerings in executive search, diversity and inclusion, leadership assessment and development, organization and team acceleration, culture shaping and on-demand, independent talent solutions. Heidrick & Struggles pioneered the profession of executive search more than 70 years ago. Today, the firm provides integrated talent and human capital solutions to help our clients change the world, one leadership team at a time. ® www.heidrick.com 

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

To supplement the financial results presented in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States ("GAAP"), Heidrick & Struggles presents certain non-GAAP financial measures. A "non-GAAP financial measure" is defined as a numerical measure of a company's financial performance that excludes or includes amounts different than the most directly comparable measure calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP in the statements of comprehensive income, balance sheets or statements of cash flow of the Company.

Non-GAAP financial measures used within this earnings release are Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA margin, and consolidated net revenue excluding the impact of exchange rate fluctuations (referred to as on a constant currency basis). These measures are presented because management uses this information to monitor and evaluate financial results and trends. Management believes this information is also useful for investors to evaluate the comparability of financial information presented. Reconciliations of these non-GAAP financial measures to the most directly comparable measures calculated and presented in accordance with GAAP are provided as schedules attached to this release.

Adjusted EBITDA refers to net income before interest, other income or expense, income taxes, depreciation and amortization, as adjusted, to the extent they occur, for earnout accretion, earnout fair value adjustments, contingent compensation, deferred compensation plan income or expense, certain reorganization costs, impairment charges and restructuring charges.

Adjusted EBITDA margin refers to Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of net revenue in the same period.   

Adjusted net income and adjusted diluted earnings per share reflect the exclusion of goodwill impairment, restructuring charges and earnout fair value adjustments, net of tax.

Adjusted effective tax rate reflects the exclusion of goodwill impairment, restructuring charges and earnout fair value adjustments, net of tax.

The Company evaluates its results of operations on both an as reported and a constant currency basis. The constant currency presentation is a non-GAAP financial measure, which excludes the impact of fluctuations in foreign currency exchange rates. The Company believes providing constant currency information provides valuable supplemental information regarding its results of operations, consistent with how it evaluates its performance. The Company calculates constant currency percentages by converting its financial results in a local currency for a period using the average exchange rate for the prior period to which it is comparing. This calculation may differ from similarly titled measures used by other companies.

Safe Harbor Statement

This press release contains forward-looking statements within the meaning of the federal securities laws, including statements regarding guidance for the third quarter of 2024. The forward-looking statements are based on current expectations, estimates, forecasts, and projections about the industry in which we operate and management's beliefs and assumptions. Forward-looking statements may be identified by the use of words such as "expects," "anticipates," "intends," "plans," "believes," "seeks," "estimates," "outlook," "projects," "forecasts," "aim" and similar expressions. Forward-looking statements are not guarantees of future performance, rely on a number of assumptions, and involve certain known and unknown risks and uncertainties that are difficult to predict, many of which are beyond our control. Factors that may cause actual outcomes and results to differ materially from what is expressed, forecasted or implied in the forward-looking statements include, among other things, our ability to attract, integrate, develop, manage, retain and motivate qualified consultants and senior leaders; our ability to prevent our consultants from taking our clients with them to another firm; our ability to maintain our professional reputation and brand name; our clients' ability to restrict us from recruiting their employees; our heavy reliance on information management systems; risks arising from our implementation of new technology and intellectual property to deliver new products and services to our clients; our dependence on third parties for the execution of certain critical functions; the fact that we face the risk of liability in the services we perform; the fact that data security, data privacy and data protection laws and other evolving regulations and cross-border data transfer restrictions may limit the use of our services and adversely affect our business; any challenges to the classification of our on-demand talent as independent contractors; the fact that increased cybersecurity requirements, vulnerabilities, threats and more sophisticated and targeted cyber-related attacks could pose a risk to our systems, networks, solutions, services and data; the fact that our net revenue may be affected by adverse macroeconomic or labor market conditions, including impacts of inflation and effects of geopolitical instability; the aggressive competition we face; the impact of foreign currency exchange rate fluctuations; our ability to access additional credit; social, political, regulatory, legal and economic risks in markets where we operate, including the impact of the ongoing war in Ukraine and the conflict in Israel and the Gaza strip, the risks of an expansion or escalation of those conflicts and our ability to quickly and completely recover from any disruption to our business; unfavorable tax law changes and tax authority rulings; our ability to realize the benefit of our net deferred tax assets; the fact that we may not be able to align our cost structure with net revenue; any impairment of our goodwill, other intangible assets and other long-lived assets; our ability to maintain an effective system of disclosure controls and internal control over our financial reporting and produce accurate and timely financial statements; our ability to execute and integrate future acquisitions; and the fact that we have anti-takeover provisions that make an acquisition of us difficult and expensive. We caution the reader that the list of factors may not be exhaustive. For more information on these risks, uncertainties and other factors, refer to our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2023, under the heading "Risk Factors" in Item 1A. The forward-looking statements contained in this press release speak only as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to update publicly any forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events or otherwise.

Contacts:

Investors & Analysts:
Suzanne Rosenberg, Vice President, Investor Relations
srosenberg@heidrick.com 

Media:
Bianca Wilson, Director of Public Relations
bwilson@heidrick.com