Jacobs Engineering Group Inc. (NYSE:J) Q4 2023 Earnings Call Transcript

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Bob Pragada: Yes. And just to add one more thing, Sabahat, on the kind of the — what we need. We don’t — we feel really strongly that our portfolio in the end markets that we’re in is strong. Claudia talked about our two biggest enablers. I’ll add a third, which is our consultancy enablement as well. But it’s not like we need to go search for new geographies or buy skill sets in an end market sector. It’s really the expansion through the digital and consultancy-based enablement, coupled with access to global talent, which — I’ll be in high agreements that we’re one of the best in how we deliver on that.

Sabahat Khan: Okay. Great. And then as you think about your guidance for kind of next year, kind of the numbers embedded in your three-year plan, you laid out the 6% to 9% for P&PS. And even as you look out sort of maybe another year beyond that, what mix of price versus volume do you anticipate given some of the funding that’s in the system right now? And how should we think about that mix over the next couple of years, particularly in the kind of infra space?

Bob Pragada: Yes. I think that that’s going to be tied to this enablement component. It’s not — this is honed in because it’s kind of a different — probably a different answer for different components of that infrastructure in advanced facility space, but this is honed in on infrastructure. Our clients are capped with how much they can spend for the infrastructure needs. So what we do is we come in with an offering where we’re gaining margin with the enablement of outcomes-based solutions. So there’s a price component that — but with a higher margin what we’re driving with our digital enablement. So we see that driving to the bottom line as we do all the things that Claudia talked about is creating a more simplified and streamlined organization.

Sabahat Khan: Great. Thanks very much.

Operator: Your final question comes from the line of Andy Wittmann with Baird. Andy your line is open.

Andy Wittmann: Oh, great. Thanks for taking my questions here. I guess it would just be kind of helpful to understand the timing on the $275 million of costs associated with all these actions. It sounds like there’s going to be some here ahead of the transaction, but some probably translate to after the transaction. Claudia, can you just talk about the timing of those cash items and recognition of those on the income statement?

Claudia Jaramillo: So Andy, this is very closely linked to the execution of the separation. So there will be more towards the end, you will have more because of elimination of — we talked about the stranded costs and the advisers and all that, but very much throughout if you’re going to see it because of the advisory fees and all that I mentioned before. So that’s just aligned with the time line of the separation.

Andy Wittmann: Okay. And then I guess — I don’t to do next. I guess I guess on the 1Q guide, I guess I just want to get a little bit more comfortable with that. I don’t think you’re saying that the corporate unallocated cost run rate is going to be higher in 1Q. It sounds like you’re saying it’s going to be about the same. I just wanted to confirm that. Then when you talk about the seasonality, I guess, there’s always seasonality in 1Q. What’s different about this year’s seasonality? Is it just the fact that the items that were called out in last year’s footnote that present a tough comp that weren’t excluded? And I guess maybe related to that, if there are costs that are related to restructuring and separation, why aren’t those being excluded in the first quarter?

Claudia Jaramillo: No, I think we talked about — well, there is a seasonality of the business. So yes, I’d say yes to that one. And then the ones that I mentioned of the $40 million, just at a high level, the cost that we’re carrying to support the separation of CMS. So it’s really linked to the transaction or the preparing CMS to operate in the new environment. So those, I would say — that one amplifies the impact. But I didn’t say it would be higher on the $60 million is more what we carry in extra throughout or across the company to support CMS. CMS and Cyber & Intelligence.

Andy Wittmann: Alright, thank you.

Operator: At this time, there are no more questions. And now I would like to turn the call back over to the team.

Bob Pragada: Yes. Thank you, everyone. We’re excited about the future, and we look forward to providing more updates as we progress our exciting plan forward. Thank you, everyone.

Claudia Jaramillo: Thank you.

Operator: Ladies and gentlemen, that concludes today’s call. Thank you all for joining. You may now disconnect.

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