Comfort Systems USA Reports First Quarter 2016 Results

Comfort Systems USA, Inc. (NYSE: FIX), a leading provider of mechanical services including heating, ventilation, air conditioning, plumbing, piping and controls, today announced net income attributable to Comfort Systems USA of $9,755,000 or $0.26 per diluted share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2016, as compared to $5,066,000 or $0.13 per diluted share, for the quarter ended March 31, 2015.

Brian Lane, Comfort Systems USA’s President and Chief Executive Officer, said, “We are pleased to report significant earnings improvement compared to last year, reflecting great execution by our workforce during our traditionally weakest quarter of the year.”

The Company reported revenue of $385,942,000 in the current quarter. On a same-store basis, the Company reported revenue of $371,437,000 as compared to $369,547,000 in 2015. The Company reported free cash flow of $9,477,000 in the current quarter, as compared to $16,998,000 in 2015. Backlog as of March 31, 2016 was $776,919,000. On a same-store basis, backlog was $720,563,000 as of March 31, 2016 as compared to $711,634,000 as of December 31, 2015 and $718,031,000 as of March 31, 2015.

Mr. Lane concluded, “We had solid first quarter bookings and an encouraging start to 2016 with significant positive cash flow. Our new partnership with ShoffnerKalthoff in Knoxville, Tennessee is off to a great start, and the deepening of our connection with Environmental Air Systems in Greensboro, North Carolina provided a lift in the first quarter. We are experiencing overall good bidding activity, and we remain optimistic about our prospects for 2016 and beyond.”

As previously announced, the Company will host a webcast and conference call to discuss its financial results and position in more depth on Thursday, April 28, 2016 at 10:30 a.m. Central Time. The call-in number for this conference call is 1-888-679-8018 and enter 41259955 as the passcode. Participants may pre-register for the call at https://www.theconferencingservice.com/prereg/key.process?key=PNDRXQUUH. The Company anticipates that an accompanying slide presentation will also be available under the Investor tab. Pre-registrants will be issued a pin number to use when dialing in to the live call, which will provide quick access to the conference by bypassing the operator upon connection. The call can also be accessed on the Company’s website at www.comfortsystemsusa.comunder the Investor tab. A replay of the entire call will be available until 3:30 p.m. Central Time, Thursday, May 5, 2016 by calling 1-888-286-8010 with the conference passcode of 56217984, and will also be available on our website on the next business day following the call.

Comfort Systems USA® is a premier provider of business solutions addressing workplace comfort, with 98 locations in 85 cities around the nation. For more information, visit the Company’s website atwww.comfortsystemsusa.com.

Certain statements and information in this press release may constitute forward-looking statements regarding our future business expectations, which are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. The words “believe,” “expect,” “anticipate,” “plan,” “intend,” “foresee,” “should,” “would,” “could,” or other similar expressions are intended to identify forward-looking statements, which are generally not historic in nature. These forward-looking statements are based on the current expectations and beliefs of Comfort Systems USA, Inc. and its subsidiaries (collectively, the “Company”) concerning future developments and their effect on the Company. While the Company’s management believes that these forward-looking statements are reasonable as and when made, there can be no assurance that future developments affecting the Company will be those that it anticipates. All comments concerning the Company’s expectations for future revenue and operating results are based on the Company’s forecasts for its existing operations and do not include the potential impact of any future acquisitions. The Company’s forward-looking statements involve significant risks and uncertainties (some of which are beyond the Company’s control) and assumptions that could cause actual future results to differ materially from the Company’s historical experience and its present expectations or projections. Important factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements include, but are not limited to: the use of incorrect estimates for bidding a fixed-price contract; undertaking contractual commitments that exceed the Company’s labor resources; failing to perform contractual obligations efficiently enough to maintain profitability; national or regional weakness in construction activity and economic conditions; financial difficulties affecting projects, vendors, customers, or subcontractors; the Company’s backlog failing to translate into actual revenue or profits; failure of third party subcontractors and suppliers to complete work as anticipated;difficulty in obtaining or increased costs associated with bonding and insurance; impairment to goodwill; errors in the Company’s percentage-of-completion method of accounting; the result of competition in the Company’s markets; the Company’s decentralized management structure; material failure to comply with varying state and local laws, regulations or requirements; debarment from bidding on or performing government contracts; shortages of labor and specialty building materials; retention of key management; seasonal fluctuations in the demand for mechanical systems; the imposition of past and future liability from environmental, safety, and health regulations including the inherent risk associated with self-insurance; adverse litigation results; an increase in our effective tax rate; an information technology failure or cyber security breach; and other risks detailed in our reports filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

For additional information regarding known material factors that could cause the Company’s results to differ from its projected results, please see its filings with the SEC, including its Annual Report on Form 10-K, Quarterly Reports on Form 10-Q, and Current Reports on Form 8-K.

Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. The Company undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statements after the date they are made, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

– Financial tables follow –

Comfort Systems USA, Inc.

Consolidated Statements of Operations
For the Three Months Ended March 31, 2016 and 2015
(In Thousands, Except per Share Amounts)

Three Months Ended
March 31,
(Unaudited)
2016 % 2015 %
Revenue $ 385,942 100.0 % $ 369,547 100.0 %
Cost of services 312,440 81.0 % 304,859 82.5 %
Gross profit 73,502 19.0 % 64,688 17.5 %
SG&A 58,181 15.1 % 53,696 14.5 %
Gain on sale of assets (145 )

-

(176 )

-

Operating income 15,466 4.0 % 11,168 3.0 %
Interest expense, net (700 ) (0.2 )% (504 ) (0.1 )%
Other income (expense) 486 0.1 % 18

-

Income before income taxes 15,252 4.0 % 10,682 2.9 %
Income tax expense 5,497 3,793

Net income including noncontrolling interests

9,755 2.5 % 6,889 1.9 %

Less: Net income attributable to noncontrolling interests

-

1,823

Net income attributable to Comfort Systems USA, Inc.

$

9,755

2.5 % $ 5,066 1.4 %

Income per share attributable to Comfort Systems USA, Inc.:

Basic─

Net income $ 0.26 $ 0.14
Diluted─
Net income $ 0.26 $ 0.13

Shares used in computing income per share:

Basic 37,344 37,281
Diluted 37,730 37,605

Note: The diluted earnings per share data presented above reflects the dilutive effect, if any, of stock options and contingently issuable restricted stock which were outstanding during the periods presented.

Supplemental Non-GAAP Information — Adjusted Earnings Before Interests, Taxes, Depreciation and Amortization (“Adjusted EBITDA”) — (Unaudited) (In Thousands)

Three Months Ended
March 31,
2016 % 2015 %
Net income including noncontrolling interests $

9,755

$ 6,889
Income taxes 5,497 3,793
Other expense (income), net (486 ) (18 )
Interest expense, net 700 504
Gain on sale of assets (145 ) (176 )
Depreciation and amortization 6,258 5,623
Adjusted EBITDA $ 21,579 5.6 % $ 16,615 4.5 %

Note: The Company defines adjusted earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization (“Adjusted EBITDA”) as net income including noncontrolling interests, excluding discontinued operations, income taxes, other expense (income), net, changes in the fair value of contingent earn-out obligations, interest expense, net, gain on sale of assets, goodwill impairment and depreciation and amortization. Other companies may define Adjusted EBITDA differently. Adjusted EBITDA is presented because it is a financial measure that is frequently requested by third parties. However, Adjusted EBITDA is not considered under generally accepted accounting principles as a primary measure of an entity’s financial results, and accordingly, Adjusted EBITDA should not be considered an alternative to operating income, net income, or cash flows as determined under generally accepted accounting principles and as reported by the Company.

Comfort Systems USA, Inc.

Condensed Consolidated Balance Sheets

(In Thousands)

March 31, December 31,
2016 2015
(Unaudited)
Cash and cash equivalents $ 43,540 $ 56,464
Accounts receivable, net 306,111 302,052
Costs and estimated earnings in excess of billings 34,350 31,338
Other current assets 30,683 34,419
Total current assets 414,684 424,273
Property and equipment, net 62,557 60,813
Goodwill 147,297 143,874
Identifiable intangible assets, net 49,140 41,079
Other noncurrent assets 35,291 21,555
Total assets $ 708,969 $ 691,594
Current maturities of long-term debt $ 600 $ 500
Current maturities of long-term capital lease obligations 241 251
Accounts payable 106,536 106,684
Billings in excess of costs and estimated earnings 83,810 85,397
Other current liabilities 115,689 112,559
Total current liabilities 306,876 305,391
Long-term debt 53,530 10,500
Long-term capital lease obligations 200 256
Other long-term liabilities 10,289 10,442
Total liabilities 370,895 326,589
Comfort Systems USA, Inc. stockholders’ equity 338,074 346,721
Noncontrolling interests

-

18,284
Total stockholders’ equity 338,074 365,005
Total liabilities and stockholders’ equity $ 708,969 $ 691,594

Selected Cash Flow Data (Unaudited) (In Thousands):

Three Months Ended
March 31,
2016 2015
Cash provided by (used in):
Operating activities $ 13,022 $ 20,415
Investing activities $ (60,616 ) $ (8,767 )
Financing activities $ 34,670 $ (4,820 )
Free cash flow:
Cash from operating activities $ 13,022 $ 20,415
Purchases of property and equipment (3,765 ) (3,623 )
Proceeds from sales of property and equipment 220 206
Free cash flow $ 9,477 $ 16,998

Note: Free cash flow is defined as cash flow from operating activities less customary capital expenditures, plus the proceeds from asset sales. Other companies may define free cash flow differently. Free cash flow is presented because it is a financial measure that is frequently requested by third parties. However, free cash flow is not considered under generally accepted accounting principles as a primary measure of an entity’s financial results, and accordingly, free cash flow should not be considered an alternative to operating income, net income, or cash flows as determined under generally accepted accounting principles and as reported by the Company.

Contacts:

Comfort Systems USA, Inc.
William George, 713-830-9600
Chief Financial Officer

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