Resources Connection, Inc. Reports Second Quarter Results for Fiscal 2014

Resources Connection, Inc. (NASDAQ: RECN), today announced financial results for its fiscal second quarter ended November 23, 2013. Resources Connection, Inc. is a multinational professional services firm that provides to clients – through its operating subsidiary, Resources Global Professionals (“RGP”) – consulting services in the areas of accounting, finance, risk management and internal audit, corporate advisory, strategic communications and restructuring, information management, human capital, supply chain management, healthcare solutions, and legal and regulatory services.

Revenue for the second quarter of fiscal 2014 was $146.0 million, increasing 3.4% (3.8% on a constant dollar basis) compared to the prior year’s second quarter and 10.9% (10.5% on a constant dollar basis) sequentially. Revenue in the U.S. increased 6.6% quarter-over-quarter and 10.5% sequentially. U.S. revenue in the second quarter of fiscal 2014 was favorably impacted by an estimated $3.3 million, as the Thanksgiving holiday fell in the third quarter this year but occurred in the second quarter last year. International revenue improved 12.2% sequentially and declined 6.2% quarter-over-quarter (10.5% improvement sequentially and 4.8% decline quarter-over-quarter on a constant dollar basis).

The Company’s net income for the second quarter of fiscal 2014 was $7.1 million, or $0.18 per diluted share compared to net income for the second quarter of fiscal 2013 of $5.9 million, or $0.14 per diluted share.

“We are pleased with the improvement in our most important financial metrics in the second quarter, including revenue, gross margin, Adjusted EBITDA and operating cash flows,” said Tony Cherbak, president and chief executive officer of RGP. “Weekly revenue trends improved steadily through the second quarter from $11.2 million to $11.7 million by quarter-end.”

Gross margin improved 160 basis points sequentially and 20 basis points quarter-over-quarter to 39.3% in the second quarter of fiscal 2014. The improvement in gross margin sequentially was primarily attributable to decreased healthcare costs and payroll taxes and only one paid holiday in the U.S. (Labor Day) in the second quarter of fiscal 2014. The second quarter gross margin quarter-over-quarter improvement was attributable to the Thanksgiving holiday falling in the third quarter in fiscal 2014 and reduced levels of zero margin client reimbursable expenses, offset in part by an unfavorable reduction in the current quarter bill rate/pay rate ratio.

Selling, general and administrative expenses for the second quarter of fiscal 2014 were $43.1 million (29.5% of revenue), an increase of $1.5 million sequentially (from $41.6 million or 31.6% or revenue) and $800,000 quarter-over-quarter (from $42.3 million or 30.0% of revenue).

Cash flow from operations and Adjusted EBITDA were $3.1 million and $15.9 million (10.9% of revenue), respectively, for the second quarter of fiscal 2014 compared to $1.4 million and $14.7 million (10.4% of revenue), respectively, for the second quarter of fiscal 2013.

“Although our clients remain focused on cost management, we have seen a renewed willingness by certain clients to engage in larger scale projects” said Don Murray, executive chairman of RGP. “Our revenue this quarter is the highest achieved since the third quarter of fiscal 2009.”

The Company’s revenue for the six months ended November 23, 2013 was $277.7 million compared to $278.1 million for the first six months ended November 24, 2012. The Company’s net income for the six months ended November 23, 2013 was $10.7 million, or $0.27 per diluted share. This compares to net income in the six months ended November 24, 2012 of $10.7 million, or $0.26 per diluted share. The improvement in earnings per share was driven primarily by a reduction in the weighted average diluted common shares outstanding in the first six months of fiscal 2014.

During the second quarter of fiscal 2014, the Company repurchased 807,000 shares of common stock for $10.1 million. As of January 2, 2014, the Company has approximately $58.3 million remaining under its board authorized stock buyback program. On December 19, 2013, the Company paid a quarterly dividend totaling $2.7 million ($0.07 per share) to shareholders. As of November 23, 2013, the Company’s cash, cash equivalents and short-term investments were $110.5 million compared to $119.0 million at fiscal year-end May 25, 2013.

ABOUT RGP

RGP, the operating subsidiary of Resources Connection, Inc. (NASDAQ: RECN), is a multinational professional services firm that helps business leaders execute internal initiatives. Partnering with business leaders, we drive internal change across all parts of a global enterprise – accounting, finance, risk management and internal audit, corporate advisory, strategic communications and restructuring, information management, human capital, supply chain management, healthcare solutions, and legal and regulatory services.

RGP was founded in 1996 within a Big Four accounting firm. Today, we are a publicly traded company with over 3,100 professionals, annually serving over 1,800 clients around the world from more than 70 practice offices.

Headquartered in Irvine, California, RGP has served 87 of the Fortune 100 companies.

The Company is listed on the NASDAQ Global Select Market, the exchange’s highest tier by listing standards. More information about RGP is available at http://www.rgp.com.

RGP will hold a conference call for interested analysts and investors at 5:00 p.m., ET today, January 2, 2014. This conference call will be available for listening via a webcast on the Company’s website: http://www.rgp.com. An audio replay of the conference call will be available through January 9, 2014 at 855-859-2056. The conference ID number for the replay is 18668915. The call will also be archived on the RGP website for 30 days.

Certain statements in this press release are “forward-looking statements” within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. Such forward-looking statements may be identified by words such as “anticipates,” “believes,” “can,” “continue,” “could,” “estimates,” “expects,” “intends,” “may,” “plans,” “potential,” “predicts,” “remain,” “should” or “will” or the negative of these terms or other comparable terminology. In this press release, such statements include expectations concerning our customer’s willingness to engage in larger scale projects. Such statements and all phases of the Company’s operations are subject to known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that could cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements and those of our industry to differ materially from those expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. Risks and uncertainties include seasonality, overall economic conditions and other factors and uncertainties as are identified in our most recent Quarterly Report on Form 10-Q and our other public filings made with the Securities and Exchange Commission (File No. 0-32113). Additional risks and uncertainties not presently known to us or that we currently deem immaterial may also affect our business or operating results. Readers are cautioned not to place undue reliance on these forward-looking statements, which speak only as of the date hereof. The Company does not intend, and undertakes no obligation, to update the forward-looking statements in this press release to reflect events or circumstances after the date hereof or to reflect the occurrence of unanticipated events, unless required by law to do so.