Exhibit 99.1

 

 

news release

 

SYKES ENTERPRISES, INCORPORATED REPORTS

THIRD QUARTER 2020 FINANCIAL RESULTS

  

--Third quarter 2020 revenue growth rate of 8.6% leads to record revenues

--Record third quarter 2020 cash flow from operations sustains solid balance sheet driving further debt reduction and share repurchases

--Business outlook reinstated with record revenues projected for the fourth quarter of 2020

 

TAMPA, FL – November 4, 2020 – Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated (“SYKES” or the “Company”) (NASDAQ: SYKE), a leading full life cycle provider of global customer engagement services, multichannel demand generation and digital transformation, announced today its financial results for the third-quarter ended September 30, 2020.

 

Third Quarter 2020 Financial Highlights

 

 

 

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Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated

Corporate Headquarters:

400 North Ashley Drive

Tampa, FL  USA  33602

1 ∙ 800 ∙ TO ∙ SYKES

http://www.sykes.com

 

 

EMEA Operations

599 Calder Road

Edinburgh EH11 4GA

Scotland

+44 (0) 131 458-6500

 

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Americas Region

Revenues from the Company’s Americas region, including operations in North America and offshore (Latin America, South Asia and the Asia Pacific region), increased 9.7% to $349.1 million, or 80.9% of total revenues, for the third quarter of 2020 compared to $318.1 million, or 80.0% of total revenues, in the same prior-year period. On a constant currency basis (a non-GAAP measure, see Exhibit 12 for reconciliation), the Americas revenues increased 9.7% comparably, driven by a combination of solid operational positioning, a diverse client mix and healthy demand from new client wins as well as existing and new program expansion across the financial services, technology, healthcare and other verticals, more than offsetting the lower demand in transportation & leisure as well as flat demand in

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the communications vertical.

 

The Americas income from operations for the third quarter of 2020 decreased 5.7% to $32.6 million, with an operating margin of 9.3% versus 10.9% in the comparable quarter last year. The Americas operating margin in the third quarter of 2020 includes $12.8 million, or 370 basis points, of the aforementioned ROU asset and other long-lived asset impairment impacts. On a non-GAAP basis, the Americas operating margin was 13.8% versus 12.1% in the comparable quarter last year, with the increase due to a combination of factors, including strong overall demand, increased capacity utilization (including home agents), higher agent productivity and expense discipline (see Exhibit 7 for reconciliation).

 

EMEA Region

Revenues from the Company’s Europe, Middle East and Africa (EMEA) region increased 4.1% to $82.7 million, representing 19.1% of total revenues, for the third quarter of 2020, compared to $79.4 million, or 20.0% of total revenues, in the same prior-year period. On a constant currency basis (a non-GAAP measure, see Exhibit 12 for reconciliation), EMEA revenues decreased 0.2% on a comparable basis driven primarily by the lower demand related to Covid-19 induced restrictions and project delays associated with Symphony Ventures Limited.

 

The EMEA region’s loss from operations for the third quarter of 2020 was $(14.3) million vs. a profit of $5.7 million in the year ago period. The loss from operations in the third quarter of 2020 was mostly driven by the previously-mentioned impairment of goodwill of $21.8 million related to Symphony Ventures Limited. Another $1.0 million of impairment was recorded in the third quarter of 2020 related to previously-mentioned facility exits. On a non-GAAP basis, the operating margin increased to 11.8% from 8.9% in the year-ago period, with the increase due to expense discipline and higher agent productivity (see Exhibit 7 for reconciliation).

 

Other

Other loss from operations, which includes primarily corporate as well as some other costs, increased to $20.3 million, or 4.7% of revenues in the third quarter of 2020, compared to $15.5 million, or 3.9% of revenues in the prior-year period. The increase was primarily due to higher accrual for long-term and annual performance-based compensation driven by sustained record operating results coupled with the mark-to-market expense from the Rabbi Trust investments. On a non-GAAP basis (see Exhibit 7 for reconciliation), other loss from operations increased to 4.6% of revenues from 3.6% in the year-ago period driven by aforementioned reasons.

 

Other Income (Expense) and Taxes

Total other income (expense), net for the third quarter of 2020 was $1.7 million compared to $(0.9) million for the same period in the prior year. The third quarter 2020 positive swing was driven largely by a non-cash gain on dilution of the Company’s equity method investment in XSell Technologies, Inc. coupled with a mark-to-market benefit related to the Company’s Rabbi Trust investment performance.

 

Due to the non-deductibility of goodwill impairment, the Company recorded a negative tax rate of 1,126.7% in the third quarter of 2020 versus an effective tax rate of 23.9% in the same period last year.  On a non-GAAP basis, the third quarter 2020 effective tax rate was 22.7% compared to 23.9% in the same period last year (see Exhibit 11 for reconciliation) driven by a shift in the geographic mix of earnings to lower tax rate jurisdictions.

 

 

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Liquidity and Capital Resources

The Company’s balance sheet at September 30, 2020, remained strong with cash and cash equivalents of $116.3 million, of which approximately 79.5%, or $92.5 million, was held in international operations and the majority of which will not be subject to additional taxes if repatriated to the United States. During the quarter, the Company generated $56.3 million in cash flow from operating activities, an increase of 36.4% on a comparable basis, and repurchased 0.5 million shares at an average price of $32.47 per share for a total of $16.2 million. The Company has roughly 1.7 million shares remaining under its 10 million share repurchase program authorized in August 2011 and amended in March of 2016. At September 30, 2020, the Company had $7.0 million in borrowings outstanding, down $42.0 million sequentially, under its $500.0 million credit agreement.

 

Business Outlook

 

 

 

 

 

 

Considering the above factors, the Company anticipates the following financial results for the three months ending December 31, 2020:

 

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For the twelve months ending December 31, 2020, the Company anticipates the following financial results:

 

 

**See Exhibit 10 for fourth quarter and full-year 2020 non-GAAP diluted earnings per share and Exhibit 11 for the third quarter, fourth quarter and full-year 2020 non-GAAP tax rate reconciliations.

 

Conference Call

The Company will conduct a conference call regarding the content of this release tomorrow, November 5, 2020, at 10:00 a.m. Eastern Standard Time. The conference call will be carried live on the Internet. Instructions for listening to the call over the Internet are available on the Investors page of SYKES’ website at www.sykes.com. A replay will be available at this location for two weeks. This press release is also posted on the SYKES website at http://investor.sykes.com/investor-relations/Investor-Resources/Investor-Relations-Home/default.aspx.

 

Non-GAAP Financial Measures

Non-GAAP indicators of performance are not measures of financial performance under U.S. Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (“GAAP”) and should not be considered a substitute for measures determined in accordance with GAAP. The Company, however, uses non-GAAP measures as a way to assist readers in further understanding the Company’s results. The Company believes these non-GAAP financial measures are important indicators of performance as they are intrinsic to how management evaluates and rewards performance from its underlying operations. Constant currency organic revenue growth, which is a non-GAAP measure, for instance, facilitates comparability between time periods as this presentation allows the Company to isolate the effect of acquisition-related revenues and exchange rate differences by assuming a constant exchange rate between periods for translation. Similarly, amortization of intangible assets and depreciation of the step up in value of purchased tangible assets are excluded for purposes of calculating the non-GAAP financial measures – including but not limited to non-GAAP operating margins, non-GAAP tax rate, non-GAAP net income, non-GAAP net income per diluted share and non-GAAP income from operations – because the Company does not acquire businesses on a predictable cycle and the exclusion facilitates a more meaningful evaluation of current operating performance and comparison to operating performance in other periods as well as performance relative to its peers who are not acquisitive or as acquisitive. The Company also excludes the impact or any corresponding reversals of material restructurings approved by the appropriate level of management, gain or loss on sale of facilities, release of cumulative translation adjustment (CTA), lease obligations and facility exit costs, severance and related costs, non-cash impairment charges, merger and integration costs associated with an acquisition and accretion of interest on contingent consideration of an acquisition from non-GAAP Income (loss) from operations and non-GAAP net income because the amounts are not reflective of ongoing operating results and do not contribute to a meaningful evaluation of current operating performance or comparison to operating performance in other periods. Refer to the exhibits in the release for detailed reconciliations.

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About Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated

Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated (“SYKES” or “the Company”) is a leading provider of multi-channel demand generation and global customer engagement services. The Company provides differentiated full lifecycle customer engagement solutions and services primarily to Global 2000 companies and their end customers principally in the financial services, communications, technology, transportation & leisure and healthcare industries. SYKES’ differentiated full lifecycle management services platform effectively engages customers at every touchpoint within the customer journey, including digital marketing and acquisition, sales expertise, customer service, technical support and retention, many of which can be optimized by a suite of robotic process automation (“RPA”) and artificial intelligence (“AI”) solutions. The Company serves its clients through two geographic operating regions: the Americas (United States, Canada, Latin America, South Asia and Asia Pacific) and EMEA (Europe, the Middle East and Africa). Its Americas and EMEA regions primarily provide customer-engagement solutions and services with an emphasis on inbound multichannel demand generation, customer service and technical support to its clients’ customers. These services are delivered through multiple communication channels including phone, email, social media, text messaging, chat and digital self-service. The Company also provides various enterprise support services in the United States that include services for its clients’ internal support operations, from technical staffing services to outsourced corporate help desk services. In Europe, the Company provides fulfillment services, which includes order processing, payment processing, inventory control, product delivery and product returns handling. Additionally, through the acquisition of RPA provider Symphony Ventures Ltd (“Symphony”) coupled with its investment in AI through XSell Technologies, Inc. (“XSell”), the Company also provides a suite of solutions such as consulting, implementation, hosting and managed services that optimizes its differentiated full lifecycle management services platform. SYKES’ complete service offering helps its clients acquire, retain and increase the lifetime value of their customer relationships. The Company has developed an extensive global reach with customer engagement centers across six continents, including North America, South America, Europe, Asia, Australia and Africa. It delivers cost-effective solutions that generate demand, enhance the customer service experience, promote stronger brand loyalty, and bring about high levels of performance and profitability. For additional information please visit www.sykes.com.

 

Forward-Looking Statements

This press release may contain “forward-looking statements,” including SYKES’ estimates of its future business outlook, prospects or financial results. Statements regarding SYKES’ objectives, expectations, intentions, beliefs or strategies, or statements containing words such as “believe,” “estimate,” “project,” “expect,” “intend,” “may,” “anticipate,” “plans,” “seeks,” “implies,” or similar expressions are intended to identify such forward-looking statements. It is important to note that SYKES’ actual results could differ materially from those in such forward-looking statements, and undue reliance should not be placed on such statements. Statements about the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on our business, operations, financial performance and prospects may constitute forward-looking statements and are subject to the risk that the actual impacts may differ, possibly materially, from what is reflected in those forward-looking statements due to factors and future developments that are uncertain, unpredictable and in many cases beyond our control, including the scope and duration of the pandemic, actions taken by governmental authorities in response to the pandemic, and the direct and indirect impact of the pandemic on our clients, third parties and us. Among the important factors that could cause such actual results to differ materially are (i) the impact of economic recessions in the U.S. and other parts of the world, (ii) fluctuations in global business conditions and the global economy, (iii) SYKES’ ability of maintaining margins, (iv) SYKES’ ability to continue the growth of its support service revenues through additional technical and customer engagement centers, (v) currency fluctuations, (vi) the timing of significant orders for SYKES’ products and services, (vii) loss or addition of significant clients, (viii) the early termination of

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contracts by clients, (ix) SYKES’ ability to recognize deferred revenue through delivery of products or satisfactory performance of services, (x) construction delays of new or expansion of existing customer engagement centers, (xi) difficulties or delays in implementing SYKES’ bundled service offerings, (xii) failure to achieve sales, marketing and other objectives, (xiii) variations in the terms and the elements of services offered under SYKES’ standardized contract including those for future bundled service offerings, (xiv) changes in applicable accounting principles or interpretations of such principles, (xv) delays in SYKES’ ability to develop new products and services and market acceptance of new products and services, (xvi) rapid technological change, (xvii) political and country-specific risks inherent in conducting business abroad, (xviii) SYKES’ ability to attract and retain key management personnel, (xix) SYKES’ ability to further penetrate into vertically integrated markets, (xx) SYKES’ ability to expand its global presence through strategic alliances and selective acquisitions, (xxi) SYKES’ ability to continue to establish a competitive advantage through sophisticated technological capabilities, (xxii) the ultimate outcome of any lawsuits or penalties (regulatory or otherwise), (xxiii) SYKES’ dependence on trends toward outsourcing, (xxiv) risk of interruption of technical and customer engagement center operations due to such factors as fire, earthquakes, inclement weather and other disasters, power failures, telecommunications failures, unauthorized intrusions, computer viruses and other emergencies, (xxv) the existence of substantial competition, (xxvi) the ability to obtain and maintain grants and other incentives, including tax holidays or otherwise, (xxvii) risks related to the integration of the businesses of SYKES, including the Qelp, Clearlink, WhistleOut and Symphony acquisitions and the impairment of any related goodwill, (xxviii) the ability to execute on initiatives to address inefficiencies around recruitment and retention in the U.S. and rationalize underutilized capacity methodically and (xxix) other risk factors listed from time to time in SYKES’ registration statements and reports as filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All forward-looking statements included in this press release are made as of the date hereof, and SYKES undertakes no obligation to update any such forward-looking statements, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.

 

For additional information contact:

Subhaash Kumar

Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated

(813) 233-7143

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Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated

Consolidated Statements of Operations

(in thousands, except per share data)

(Unaudited)

Exhibit 1

 

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Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated

Consolidated Statements of Operations

(in thousands, except per share data)

(Unaudited)

Exhibit 2

 

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Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated

Segment Results

(in thousands)

(Unaudited)

Exhibit 3

 

 

 

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Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated

Consolidated Balance Sheets and Supplementary Data

(in thousands, except seat data)

(Unaudited)

Exhibit 4

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11

 

 

 

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Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated

Cash Flow from Operations

(in thousands)

(Unaudited)

Exhibit 5

 

 

 

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Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Information

(in thousands, except per share data)

(Unaudited)

Exhibit 6

 

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Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Information by Segment

(in thousands)

(Unaudited)

Exhibit 7

 

 

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Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Information

(in thousands, except per share data)

(Unaudited)

Exhibit 8

 

 

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Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Information by Segment

(in thousands)

(Unaudited)

Exhibit 9

 

 

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Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Information

(Unaudited)

Exhibit 10

 

 

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Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Information

(Unaudited)

Exhibit 11

 

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Sykes Enterprises, Incorporated

Reconciliation of Non-GAAP Financial Information by Segment

(Unaudited)

Exhibit 12

 

 

 

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