Bright Horizons Family Solutions Inc. (NYSE:BFAM) Q3 2023 Earnings Call Transcript

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So 100 basis points to 200 basis points of spread. We do a center-by-center review and geography-by-geography. So that’s a broad average, but we will go higher where the market permits and where the structure is right. And we are also mindful of driving enrollment as our primary goal as we have talked about. So those are probably the two key elements on the structure for next year in our primary full-service business.

Jeff Silber: It’s really helpful. Thanks so much.

Operator: Thank you. [Operator Instructions] Our next question comes from Toni Kaplan of Morgan Stanley.

Toni Kaplan: Thank you. So you meet the 3Q revenue guide by about $30 million at the midpoint, but raised the full year guide by under half of that. I guess, why shouldn’t we expect the beat to flow through? I know you mentioned the UK was maybe weaker than expected. But is there anything else that we should be thinking about? Or is it just conservatism for thinking about 4Q? Thanks.

Elizabeth Boland: Sure. Hi, Toni, Thanks for the question. I think that the view of course we did outperform, as you say, and we’ve flowed that through the backup outperformance really essentially, we raised the that for the year. It’s a little bit lighter in Q4 at the midpoint, but roughly rough math, it’s very similar. As it relates to the rest of the business, the main driver really is foreign exchange with the FX rates where they are. We carry that forward into Q4, and then that is a headwind against the revenue trends — what it translates to in revenue, and that’s where I think you see the difference between essentially carrying forward where we think we’ve performed today and stay firm.

Toni Kaplan: Great. And then I’d like to ask the full-service margin question in a different way. I guess, ex-ARPA this quarter, which I think you said was about $9 million. The margins in full service were actually slightly negative again. What gets it to improve next quarter and going into next year? Thanks.

Elizabeth Boland: Yes. So as much as we had the turnover, if you will, of enrollment in the third quarter and how that manifests itself in averages for the quarter is relatively consistent to maybe a slight uptick in revenue in enrollment in Q4, but it’s absorbed into a more efficient structure as we cycle through that Q3, Q4 turnover period. We also have contributions coming from the international operations, particularly Netherlands and Australia has tended to operate at a higher level of occupancy and sort of have a steadier contribution that continues to flow through somewhat better in Q4 than Q3. And so those are the primary drivers. But the full service business is somewhat seasonal that’s not always evident in the timing of Q3 into Q4 and how the cost is coming through into line, if you will as we have transitioned teachers and transitioned children into the classrooms in Q4.

Toni Kaplan: Thanks a lot.

Operator: Thank you. Our next question comes from Harold Antor of Jefferies. Please go ahead.

Harold Antor: This is Harold from Jefferies. Not 100% sure if you touched on this, but how should we be thinking about interest expense in 2024 given the rise in interest expense in 4Q and a broad and — insight on their current capital structure.

Elizabeth Boland: As mentioned the step up in Q4 that we guided to about 14 million a quarter is what we’ve oddly expect overall interest rate to translate to for next year. We do have variable rate debt. We have interest rate caps on that floating debt. And so therefore have are able to manage and contain that cost. But we do have — we have of payment for oak, the remaining deferred payment for oak that will be going out early next year. And so there will be some temporary revolver borrowings in the early part of the year but otherwise that 14 million a quarter is a good measure for the year.

Harold Antor: Thank you.

Stephen Kramer: Terrific. Well, thank you all very much for joining the call and I hope you have a great West rest of the week.

Elizabeth Boland: We’ll see you on road.

Operator: Thank you. Ladies and gentlemen, that completes today’s event. You may now disconnect your lines and thank you for attending.

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