FirstService Reports Strong First Quarter Results

Double-Digit Revenue Increase Driven by Solid Organic Growth and Tuck-Under Acquisitions

Operating highlights:

TORONTO, April 24, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- FirstService Corporation (TSX: FSV; NASDAQ: FSV) today reported strong results for its first quarter ended March 31, 2019. All amounts are in US dollars.

Revenues for the first quarter were $485.7 million, up 14% relative to the same quarter in the prior year, Adjusted EBITDA (note 1) increased 15% to $29.2 million, and Adjusted EPS (note 2) was $0.30, representing 20% growth over the prior year quarter. GAAP Operating Earnings were $12.9 million, relative to $11.1 million in the prior year period. GAAP diluted earnings per share was $0.06 per share in the quarter, versus $0.17 in the same quarter a year ago.

“We are pleased to report a strong first quarter, with balanced top-line contribution from organic growth and tuck-under acquisition activity in both our Residential and Brands divisions,” said Scott Patterson, Chief Executive Officer of FirstService. “These results provide a solid foundation and very good momentum as we drive towards our targets for 2019.”

About FirstService Corporation

FirstService Corporation is a North American leader in the essential outsourced property services sector, serving its customers through two industry-leading service platforms: FirstService Residential - North America’s largest manager of residential communities; and FirstService Brands - one of North America’s largest providers of essential property services delivered through individually branded franchise systems and company-owned operations.

FirstService generates more than US$1.9 billion in annual revenues and has more than 20,000 employees across North America. With significant insider ownership and an experienced management team, FirstService has a long-term track record of creating value and superior returns for shareholders. The Subordinate Voting Shares of FirstService trade on the NASDAQ and the Toronto Stock Exchange under the symbol “FSV”.  More information is available at .

Segmented Quarterly Results

FirstService Residential revenues were $319.3 million for the first quarter, up 12% versus the prior year quarter. Organic growth accounted for half of this increase, with particularly strong performance in our New York, California and Nevada markets. Adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was $21.8 million, up from $17.5 million in the prior year period. GAAP Operating Earnings were $15.6 million, up from $11.4 million versus the prior year period. The improvement in our operating margin was largely driven by the contribution of recent acquisitions with a non-seasonal cash flow profile during our seasonally weakest first quarter.

FirstService Brands revenues for the first quarter totalled $166.3 million, up 17% relative to the prior year period. The revenue increase was comprised of 7% organic growth, together with contribution from tuck-under acquisitions within the past year at our California Closets, Paul Davis Restoration, and Century Fire company-owned platforms. During the quarter, organic growth was robust at our operations which benefit from strong home improvement spending, including our California Closets company-owned and franchised operations and our CertaPro Painters and Floor Coverings International franchised systems. Adjusted EBITDA was $11.0 million, down from $11.2 million in the prior year quarter. The decline in our margin was largely attributable to lower activity levels at our Paul Davis Restoration company-owned operations compared to the prior year quarter. GAAP Operating Earnings were $3.9 million, versus $5.1 million in the prior year quarter, with the decline primarily due to increased depreciation and amortization from recently completed tuck-under acquisitions.

Corporate costs, as presented in Adjusted EBITDA, were $3.7 million in the first quarter, relative to $3.2 million in the prior year period. On a GAAP basis, corporate costs for the quarter were $6.6 million, relative to $5.4 million in the prior year period.

Conference Call

FirstService will be holding a conference call on Wednesday, April 24, 2019 at 11:00 a.m. Eastern Time to discuss results for the first quarter of 2019. The number to use for this call is toll-free 1) 1-888-241-0551 or 2) 647-427-3415 for international callers. The call will be simultaneously web cast and can be accessed live or after the call at in the “Investors / Newsroom” section.

Forward-looking Statements

This press release includes or may include forward-looking statements. Much of this information can be identified by words such as “expect to,” “expected,” “will,” “estimated” or similar expressions suggesting future outcomes or events. FirstService believes the expectations reflected in such forward-looking statements are reasonable but no assurance can be given that these expectations will prove to be correct and such forward-looking statements should not be unduly relied upon. These statements involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors which may cause the actual results to be materially different from any future results, performance or achievements contemplated in the forward-looking statements. Such factors include: (i) general economic and business conditions, which will, among other things, impact demand for FirstService’s services and the cost of providing services; (ii) the ability of FirstService to implement its business strategy, including FirstService’s ability to acquire suitable acquisition candidates on acceptable terms and successfully integrate newly acquired businesses with its existing businesses; (iii) changes in or the failure to comply with government regulations; and (iv) other factors which are described in FirstService’s annual information form for the year ended December 31, 2018 under the heading “Risk factors” (a copy of which may be obtained at ) and Annual Report on Form 40-F filed with the United States Securities and Exchange Commission (a copy of which may be obtained at ), and subsequent filings (which factors are adopted herein). Forward-looking statements contained in this press release are made as of the date hereof and are subject to change. All forward-looking statements in this press release are qualified by these cautionary statements. Unless otherwise required by applicable securities laws, we do not intend, nor do we undertake any obligation, to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained in this press release to reflect subsequent information, events, results or circumstances or otherwise.

Summary financial information is provided in this press release. This press release should be read in conjunction with the Company's consolidated financial statements and MD&A to be made available on SEDAR at

Notes

1. Reconciliation of net earnings to Adjusted EBITDA:

Adjusted EBITDA is defined as net earnings, adjusted to exclude: (i) income tax; (ii) other (income) expense; (iii) interest expense; (iv) depreciation and amortization; (v) acquisition-related items; and (vi) stock-based compensation expense. The Company uses adjusted EBITDA to evaluate its own operating performance, its ability to service debt, and as an integral part of its planning and reporting systems. Additionally, this measure is used in conjunction with discounted cash flow models to determine the Company’s overall enterprise valuation and to evaluate acquisition targets. Adjusted EBITDA is presented as a supplemental measure because the Company believes such a measure is useful to investors as a reasonable indicator of operating performance, due to the low capital intensity of the Company’s service operations. The Company believes this measure is a financial metric used by many investors to compare companies, especially in the services industry. This measure is not a recognized measure of financial performance under GAAP in the United States, and should not be considered as a substitute for operating earnings, net earnings or cash flow from operating activities, as determined in accordance with GAAP. The Company’s method of calculating adjusted EBITDA may differ from other issuers and accordingly, this measure may not be comparable to measures used by other issuers. A reconciliation of net earnings (loss) to adjusted EBITDA appears below.

2. Reconciliation of net earnings and net earnings per share to adjusted net earnings and adjusted EPS:

Adjusted EPS is defined as diluted net earnings per share, adjusted for the effect, after income tax, of: (i) the non-controlling interest redemption increment; (ii) acquisition-related items; (iii) amortization expense related to intangible assets recognized in connection with acquisitions; (iv) stock-based compensation expense; and (v) a stock-based compensation tax adjustment related to a US GAAP change. The Company believes this measure is useful to investors because it provides a supplemental way to understand the underlying operating performance of the Company and enhances the comparability of operating results from period to period. Adjusted EPS is not a recognized measure of financial performance under GAAP, and should not be considered as a substitute for diluted net earnings per share, as determined in accordance with GAAP. The Company’s method of calculating this non-GAAP measure may differ from other issuers and, accordingly, this measure may not be comparable to measures used by other issuers. A reconciliation of net earnings to adjusted net earnings and of diluted net earnings per share to adjusted EPS appears below.

(1) Acquisition-related items include contingent acquisition consideration fair value adjustments, and transaction costs.

(2) See definition and reconciliation above.

COMPANY CONTACTS:

D. Scott Patterson

Chief Executive Officer

Jeremy Rakusin

Chief Financial Officer

(416) 960-9500