Description
RCM Technologies, Inc. 10% Owner MICHAEL O'CONNELL bought 80,700 shares on 8-20-2012 at $ 5.48
BUSINESS OVERVIEW
General
RCM Technologies, Inc. is a premier provider of business and technology solutions designed to enhance and maximize the operational performance of its customers through the adaptation and deployment of advanced information technology and engineering services. RCM is also a provider of specialty healthcare services to major health care institutions and educational facilities. RCM has been an innovative leader in the design, development, and delivery of these services to commercial and government sectors for 40 years. Over the years, the Company has developed and assembled an attractive, diverse and extensive portfolio of capabilities, service offerings and delivery options, established a proven record of performance and credibility, and built an efficient pricing structure. This combination offers clients a compelling value proposition with the potential to substantially accelerate the successful attainment of their business objectives .
RCM consists of three operating segments: Information Technology, Engineering and Specialty Health Care Services. The Company’s Information Technology, or IT, segment provides enterprise business solutions, application services, infrastructure solutions, competitive advantage & productivity solutions, life sciences solutions and other selected vertical market specific offerings. RCM’s Engineering segment provides engineering and design, engineering analysis, technical writing and technical support services. The Company’s Specialty Health Care Services segment provides health care professionals, primarily therapists, nurses and care givers.
The Company services some of the largest national and international companies in North America as well as a lengthy roster of Fortune 1000 and mid-sized businesses in such industries as Aerospace/Defense, Energy, Financial Services, Life Sciences, Manufacturing & Distribution, the Public Sector and Technology. RCM believes it offers a range of solutions that fosters long-term client relationships, affords cross-selling opportunities, and minimizes the Company’s dependence on any single technology or industry sector. RCM sells and delivers its services through a network of 30 offices in selected regions throughout North America.
The Company is a Nevada corporation organized in 1971. The address of its principal executive office is 2500 McClellan Avenue, Suite 350, Pennsauken, NJ 08109-4613.
During the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011, approximately 37.4% of RCM’s total revenues were derived from IT services, 43.6% from Engineering services, and the remaining 19.0% from Specialty Health Care services.
Demand for the Company’s services can be significantly impacted by changes in the general level of economic activity and particularly technology spending. During periods of reduced economic activity, such as the environment in the United States and the world in general since approximately mid-2007 and continuing through fiscal 2011, the Company may also be subject to increased pricing pressure in its markets due to reduced spending by clients and potential clients of the Company. Extended periods of weakness in the economy can have a material adverse impact on the Company’s business and results of operations. Accordingly, the Company's operations have been adversely impacted by the continuing economic downturn that began in the middle of 2007.
Industry Overview
Businesses today face intense competition, the challenge of constant technological change and the ongoing need for business process optimization. To address these issues and to compete more effectively, companies are continually evaluating the need for implementing innovative solutions to upgrade their systems, applications, and processes. As a result, the ability of an organization to integrate and align advanced technologies with new business objectives is critical.
Although most companies recognize the importance of optimizing their systems, applications and processes to compete in today’s challenging environment, the process of designing, developing and implementing business and technology solutions is becoming increasingly complex. The Company believes that many businesses are focused on return on investment analysis in prioritizing their initiatives. The Company believes that as a consequence, over the past few years, companies have elected to defer, redefine or cancel investments in new systems, software, and solutions and have focused on making extended and more effective use of previous technological investments.
On the other hand, the current economic environment challenges many companies to integrate and manage computing environments consisting of multiple computing platforms, operating systems, databases and networking protocols and off-the-shelf software applications to support business objectives. Companies also need to keep pace with new technology developments, which often rapidly render existing equipment and internal skills obsolete. At the same time, external economic factors have caused many organizations to focus on core competencies and trim workforces in the IT management area. Accordingly, these organizations often lack the quantity, quality and variety of IT skills necessary to design and support IT solutions. IT managers are charged with supporting increasingly complex systems and applications of significant strategic value, while working under budgetary, personnel and expertise constraints within their own organizations.
The Company believes its target market for IT services is among middle-market companies, which typically lack the time and technical resources to satisfy all of their IT needs internally. These companies commonly require sophisticated, experienced IT assistance to achieve their business objectives and often rely on IT service providers to help implement and manage their systems. However, many middle-market companies rely on multiple providers for their IT needs. Generally, the Company believes that this reliance on multiple providers results from the fact that larger IT service providers do not target these companies, while smaller IT service providers, which do target these companies, lack sufficient breadth of services or industry knowledge to satisfy all of these companies' needs. The Company believes this reliance on multiple service providers creates multiple relationships that are more difficult and less cost-effective to manage than a single relationship and can adversely influence the quality and compatibility of IT solutions. RCM is structured to provide middle-market companies a single source for their IT needs.
The Company’s Engineering group continues to focus on areas of growth within the energy and aerospace industries.
In recent years, many businesses have been adversely impacted by higher oil prices, and for that and various other reasons, there has been growing sentiment around the world for the development of alternative sources of energy, including a renewed interest in nuclear power. Over the same period, there has been a significant increase in spending in the United States in the aerospace and defense industries due largely to a strengthening of the military and homeland security in response to armed conflicts, geo-political unrest and the threat of terrorism. The combination of higher energy prices and increased military spending has created numerous business opportunities for service providers, especially those engaged in engineering operations in North America and abroad.
In the healthcare services industry, a shortage of nurses and other medical personnel in the United States has led to increases in business activity for health care service companies, including the Company’s Specialty Healthcare Group. Due in part to an aging population and improved medical technology, the demand for selected health care professionals is expected to continue over the next several years.
Business Strategy
RCM is dedicated to providing solutions to meet its clients’ business needs by delivering information technology and engineering services. The Company’s objective is to be a recognized leader of specialized professional consulting services and solutions in major markets throughout North America. The Company adapts operating strategies to achieve this objective. The following is a discussion of the key elements of its growth and operating strategies:
Growth Strategy
Promote Full Life Cycle Solution Capability
The Company promotes a full life cycle solution capability to its customers. The goal of the full life cycle solution strategy is to fully address a client’s project implementation cycle at each stage of its development and deployment. This entails the Company working with its clients from the initial conceptualization of a project through its design and project execution, and extending into ongoing management and support of the delivered product. RCM’s strategy is to build projects and solutions offerings selectively, utilizing its extensive resource base.
The Company believes that the effective execution of this strategy will generate improved margins on its existing resources. The completion of this service-offering continuum is intended to afford the Company the opportunity to strengthen long-term client relationships that will further contribute to a more predictable revenue stream.
In addition to a full life cycle solution offering, the Company continues to focus on transitioning into higher value oriented services in an effort to increase its margins on its various service lines and generate revenue that is more sustainable. The Company believes this transition is accomplished by pursuing additional vertical market specific solutions in conjunction or combination with longer-term based solutions, through expansion of its client relationships and by pursuing strategic alliances and partnerships.
Achieve Internal Growth
The Company continues to promote its internal growth strategies which we designed to better serve the Company’s customers, generate higher revenue and achieve greater operating efficiencies. National and regional sales management programs have been designed and implemented to segregate clients by vertical market and national accounts to advance the Company’s value added services focus. This process is improving account coordination and is designed to allow clients to benefit from deeper industry knowledge and the Company to maximize major account opportunities.
RCM provides an orientation program in which sales managers and professionals receive relevant information about Company operations.
RCM has adopted an industry-centric approach to sales and marketing. This initiative contemplates that clients within the same industry sectors tend to have common business challenges. It therefore allows the Company to present and deliver enhanced value to those clients in the vertical markets in which RCM has assembled the greatest work experience. RCM’s consultants continue to acquire project experience that offers differentiated awareness of the business challenges that clients in that industry are facing. This alignment also facilitates and creates additional cross-selling opportunities. The Company believes this strategy will lead to greater account penetration and enhanced client relationships.
Operational strategies contributing to RCM’s internal productivity include the delineation of certain new solutions practice areas in markets where its clients had historically known the Company as a contract service provider. The formation of these practice areas should facilitate the flow of project opportunities and the delivery of project-based solutions.
Pursue Selective Strategic Acquisitions
The industry in which the Company operates continues to be highly fragmented, and the Company plans to continue to selectively assess opportunities to make strategic acquisitions as such opportunities are presented to the Company. The Company's acquisition strategy is designed to broaden the scope of services and technical competencies and grow its full life cycle solution capabilities. In considering acquisition opportunities, the Company focuses principally on companies with (i) technologies or market segments RCM has targeted for strategic value enhancement, (ii) margins that are accretive to existing margins, (iii) experienced management personnel, (iv) substantial growth prospects and (v) sellers who desire to join the Company's management team. To retain and provide incentives for management of its acquired companies, the Company has generally structured a significant portion of the acquisition price in the form of multi-tiered consideration based on growth of operating profitability of the acquired company over a two to four year period.
Operating Strategy
Develop and Maintain Strong Customer Relationships
The Company seeks to develop and maintain strong interactive customer relationships by anticipating and focusing on its customers' needs. The Company emphasizes a relationship-oriented approach to business, rather than the transaction or assignment-oriented approach that the Company believes is used by many of its competitors. This industry-centric strategy is designed to allow RCM to expand further its relationships with clients in RCM’s targeted sectors.
To develop close customer relationships, the Company's practice managers regularly meet with both existing and prospective clients to help design solutions and identify the resources needed to execute their strategies. The Company's managers also maintain close communications with their customers during each project and on an ongoing basis after its completion. The Company believes that this relationship-oriented approach can result in greater customer satisfaction. Additionally, the Company believes that by collaborating with its customers in designing business solutions, it can generate new opportunities to cross-sell additional services that the Company has to offer. The Company focuses on providing customers with qualified individuals or teams of experts compatible with the business needs of its customers and makes a concerted effort to follow the progress of such relationships to ensure their continued success.
Attract and Retain Highly Qualified Consultants and Technical Resources
The Company believes it has been successful in attracting and retaining highly qualified consultants and contractors by (i) providing stimulating and challenging work assignments, (ii) offering competitive wages, (iii) effectively communicating with its candidates, (iv) providing selective training to maintain and upgrade skills and (v) aligning the needs of its customers with appropriately skilled personnel. The Company believes it has been successful in retaining these personnel due in part to its use of practice managers who are dedicated to maintaining contact with, and monitoring the satisfaction levels of, the Company's consultants and contractors while they are on assignment.
Centralize Administrative Functions
The Company continues to improve its operational efficiencies by integrating general and administrative functions at the corporate or regional level, and reducing or eliminating redundant functions formerly performed at smaller branch offices. This enables the Company to realize savings and synergies and to control and monitor its operations efficiently, as well as to quickly integrate new acquisitions. It also allows local branches to focus more on growing their local operations.
To accomplish this, the Company’s financial reporting and accounting systems are centralized in the Company’s operational headquarters in Parsippany, NJ. The systems have been configured to perform all back office functions, including payroll, project management, project cost accounting, billing, human resource administration and financial reporting and consolidation. The Company anticipates upgrading its financial reporting and accounting system platform in fiscal year 2012.
CEO BACKGROUND
Kevin D. Miller has served as a Chief Financial Officer, Secretary and Treasurer since October 2008. From July 1997 until September 2008, he was Senior Vice President of RCM. From 1996 until July 1997, Mr. Miller served as an Associate in the corporate finance department of Legg Mason Wood Walker, Incorporated. From 1995 to 1996, Mr. Miller was a business consultant for the Wharton Small Business Development Center. Mr. Miller previously served as a member of both the audit and corporate finance groups at Ernst & Young LLP.
Rocco Campanelli has served as an Executive Vice President of RCM since June 1999. From September 1995 until June 1999, Mr. Campanelli served as a Senior Vice President of RCM and our General Manager of Professional Engineering. Previously, Mr. Campanelli was a Senior Vice President of Operations and Marketing for Cataract, Inc., a business we acquired in August 1995. From the time he joined Cataract in 1988 until August 1995, Mr. Campanelli held the position of Northeast Regional Manager and Vice President of Operations.
Timothy Brandt has served as a Group Senior Vice President of RCM since October 2011. From December, 2002 until joining RCM, Mr. Brandt held positions of increasing responsibility for Kforce and Pinkerton Computer Consultants (acquired by Kforce in 2006), ending his tenure in the position of Market President. Mr. Brandt has 20 years of senior leadership experience in IT consulting and solutions including positions with FYI Systems, Paragon Computer Professionals and Computer Systems Development. Mr. Brandt’s professional experience started at Xerox Corporation, where he held positions in Sales, Sales Training and Sales Management over a 9 year period starting in 1984.
Michael Saks has served as Senior Vice President and General Manager of RCM’s Health Care Services Division since May 2007. From January 1994 until May 2007 he was the Vice President and GM of RCM Health Care. Prior to joining RCM, Mr. Saks served as a corporate executive at MS Executive Resources, MA Management and Group 4 Executive Search. Mr. Saks has over 29 years of executive management, sales and recruiting experience.
MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION FROM LATEST 10K
Overview
RCM participates in a market that is cyclical in nature and sensitive to economic changes. As a result, the impact of economic changes on revenues and operations can be substantial, resulting in significant volatility in the Company’s financial performance.
The Company experienced a significant decrease in revenues during the fiscal year ended December 31, 2011 as compared to the comparable prior year period. The Company believes that the revenue decrease was primarily attributable to subpar performance in sales efforts (which the Company continues to take steps to remediate) in the Company’s Information Technology segment and declines, resulting from general economic conditions, in the spending of its major Engineering segment clients, as further discussed in the Segment Discussion below. While the Company believes general economic conditions and overall market conditions for its Information Technology and Specialty Health Care segments have improved slightly from their recessionary lows, the Company is cautious regarding expectations for 2012 and beyond as the Company believes that any general economic or market recovery may be slow and/or tenuous.
The Company believes it has developed and assembled an attractive portfolio of capabilities, established a proven record of performance and credibility and built an efficient pricing structure. The Company is committed to optimizing its business model as a single-source premier provider of business and technology solutions with a strong vertical focus offering an integrated suite of services through a global delivery platform.
The Company believes that most companies recognize the importance of advanced technologies and business processes to compete in today’s business climate. However, the process of designing, developing and implementing business and technology solutions is becoming increasingly complex. The Company believes that many businesses today are focused on return on investment analysis in prioritizing their initiatives, and that this has had an adverse impact on spending by current and prospective clients of the Company for many emerging new solutions.
Nonetheless, the Company continues to believe that businesses must implement more advanced information technology and engineering solutions to upgrade their systems, applications and processes so that they can maximize their productivity and optimize their performance in order to maintain a competitive advantage. Although working under budgetary, personnel and expertise constraints, companies are driven to support increasingly complex systems, applications and processes of significant strategic value. This has given rise to a demand for outsourcing. The Company believes that its current and prospective clients are continuing to evaluate the potential for outsourcing business critical systems, applications and processes.
The Company provides project management and consulting services, which are billed based on either agreed-upon fixed fees or hourly rates, or a combination of both. The billing rates and profit margins for project management and solutions services are generally higher than those for professional consulting services. The Company generally endeavors to expand its sales of higher margin solutions and project management services. The Company also realizes revenues from client engagements that range from the placement of contract and temporary technical consultants to project assignments that entail the delivery of end-to-end solutions. These services are primarily provided to the client at hourly rates that are established for each of the Company's consultants based upon their skill level, experience and the type of work performed.
The majority of the Company's services are provided under purchase orders. Contracts are utilized on certain of the more complex assignments where the engagements are for longer terms or where precise documentation on the nature and scope of the assignment is necessary. Although contracts normally relate to longer-term and more complex engagements, they do not obligate the customer to purchase a minimum level of services and are generally terminable by the customer on 60 to 90 days’ notice. The Company, from time to time, enters into contracts requiring the completion of specific deliverables. Typically these contracts are for less than one year. The Company recognizes revenue on these deliverables at the time the client accepts and approves the deliverables.
Costs of services consist primarily of salaries and compensation-related expenses for billable consultants, including payroll taxes, employee benefits and insurance. Selling, general and administrative expenses consist primarily of salaries and benefits of personnel responsible for business development, recruiting, operating activities, and training, and include corporate overhead expenses. Corporate overhead expenses relate to salaries and benefits of personnel responsible for corporate activities, including the Company's corporate marketing, administrative and financial reporting responsibilities and acquisition program. The Company records these expenses when incurred.
Critical Accounting Policies
The Company’s consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with U. S. generally accepted accounting principles, which require management to make subjective decisions, assessments and estimates about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain. As the number of variables and assumptions affecting the judgment increases, such judgments become even more subjective. While management believes its assumptions are reasonable and appropriate, actual results may be materially different from estimated. Management has identified certain critical accounting policies, described below, that require significant judgment to be exercised by management.
Revenue Recognition
The Company derives its revenues from several sources. The Company’s Engineering Services and Information Technology Services segments perform consulting and project solutions services. All of the Company’s segments perform staff augmentation services and derive revenue from permanent placement fees. The majority of the Company's revenues are invoiced on a time and materials basis.
Project Services - The Company recognizes revenues in accordance with “Revenue Recognition” which clarifies application of U.S. generally accepted accounting principles to revenue transactions. Project services are generally provided on a cost-plus, fixed-fee or time-and-material basis. Typically, a customer will outsource a discrete project or activity and the Company assumes responsibility for the performance of such project or activity. The Company recognizes revenues and associated costs on a gross basis as services are provided to the customer and costs are incurred using its employees. The Company, from time to time, enters into contracts requiring the completion of specific deliverables. The Company may recognize revenues on these deliverables at the time the client accepts and approves the deliverables. In instances where project services are provided on a fixed-price basis and the contract will extend beyond a 12-month period, revenue is recorded in accordance with the terms of each contract. In some instances, revenue is billed and recorded at the time certain milestones are reached, as defined in the contract. In other instances, revenue is billed and recorded based upon contractual rates per hour (i.e., percentage of completion). In addition, some contracts contain “Performance Fees” (bonuses) for completing a contract under budget. Performance Fees, if any, are recorded when earned. Some contracts also limit revenues and billings to maximum amounts. Provision for contract losses, if any, are made in the period such losses are determined. For contracts where there is a deliverable, the work is not complete on a specific deliverable and the revenue is not recognized, the costs are deferred. The associated costs are expensed when the related revenue is recognized.
Consulting and Staffing Services - Revenues derived from consulting and staffing services are recorded on a gross basis as services are performed and associated costs have been incurred using employees of the Company. These services are typically billed on a time and material basis.
In certain cases, the Company may utilize other companies and their employees to fulfill customer requirements. In these cases, the Company receives an administrative fee for arranging for, billing for, and collecting the billings related to these companies. The customer is typically responsible for assessing the work of these companies who have responsibility for acceptability of their personnel to the customer. Under these circumstances, the Company’s reported revenues are net of associated costs (effectively recognizing the net administrative fee only).
Transit Receivables and Transit Payables - From time to time, the Company’s Engineering segment enters into agreements to provide, among other things, construction management and engineering services. Pursuant to these agreements, the Company: a) engages subcontractors to provide construction services; b) typically earns a fixed percentage of the total project value as a fee and c) assumes no ownership or risks of inventory. In such situations, the Company acts as an agent under the provisions of “Overall Considerations of Reporting Revenue Gross as a Principal versus Net as an Agent” and therefore recognizing revenue on a “net basis.” The Company records revenue on a “net” basis on relevant engineering and construction management projects, which require subcontractors or transit costs. In those situations, the Company charges the client a management fee, which is reported as net revenue when earned. During the fifty-two week period ended December 31, 2011, the total gross billings, including both transit cost billings and the Company’s earned fees, was $19.4 million for which the Company recognized $6.0 million of its net management fee as revenue.
Under the terms of the agreements, the Company is not required to pay the subcontractor until after the corresponding payment from the Company’s client is received. Upon invoicing the end client on behalf of the subcontractor the Company records this amount simultaneously as both a “transit account receivable” and “transit account payable” as the amount when paid to the Company is due to and generally paid to the subcontractor within a few days. At any given point in time, the Company’s transit accounts receivable usually equal the transit accounts payable. However, the transit accounts payable will occasionally exceed the transit accounts receivable due to timing differences. The transit accounts receivable and related transit accounts payable were $3.0 million each as of December 31, 2011.
Permanent Placement Services - The Company earns permanent placement fees from providing permanent placement services. Fees for placements are recognized at the time the candidate commences employment. The Company guarantees its permanent placements on a prorated basis for 90 days. In the event a candidate is not retained for the 90-day period, the Company will provide a suitable replacement candidate. In the event a replacement candidate cannot be located, the Company will provide a prorated refund to the client. An allowance for refunds, based upon the Company’s historical experience, is recorded in the financial statements. Revenues are recorded on a gross basis.
Accounts Receivable
The Company’s accounts receivable are primarily due from trade customers. Credit is extended based on evaluation of customers’ financial condition and, generally, collateral is not required. Accounts receivable payment terms vary and are stated in the financial statements at amounts due from customers net of an allowance for doubtful accounts. Accounts outstanding longer than the payment terms are considered past due. The Company determines its allowance by considering a number of factors, including the length of time trade accounts receivable are past due, the Company’s previous loss history, the customer’s current ability to pay its obligation to the Company and the condition of the general economy and the industry as a whole. The Company writes off accounts receivable when they become uncollectible.
The Company’s allowance for doubtful accounts increased by approximately $0.2 million to $1.5 million as of December 31, 2011 from $1.3 million as of January 1, 2011.
Goodwill
Goodwill represents the premium paid over the fair value of the net tangible and intangible assets acquired in business combinations. The Company is required to assess the carrying value of its reporting units that contain goodwill at least on an annual basis in order to determine if any impairment in value has occurred. The Company has the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is necessary to perform a two-step impairment test. An assessment of those qualitative factors or the application of the goodwill impairment test requires significant judgment including but not limited to the assessment of the business, its management and general market conditions, estimation of future cash flows, which is dependent on internal forecasts, estimation of the long-term rate of growth for the businesses, the useful life over which cash flows will occur and determination of weighted average cost of capital. Changes in these estimates and assumptions could materially affect the determination of fair value and/or conclusions on goodwill impairment for each reporting unit. The Company formally assesses these qualitative factors and, if necessary, conducts its annual goodwill impairment test as of the last day of the Company’s fiscal November each year, or more frequently if indicators of impairment exist. The Company periodically analyzes whether any such indicators of impairment exist. A significant amount of judgment is involved in determining if an indicator of impairment has occurred. Such indicators may include a sustained, significant decline in share price and market capitalization, a decline in expected future cash flows, a significant adverse change in legal factors or in the business climate, unanticipated competition, a material change in management or other key personnel and/or slower expected growth rates, among others. Due to the thin trading of the Company stock in the public marketplace and the impact of the control premium held by a relatively few shareholders, the Company does not consider the market capitalization of the Company the most appropriate measure of fair value of goodwill for our reporting units. The Company looks to earnings/revenue multiples of similar companies recently completing acquisitions and the ability of our reporting units to generate cash flows as better measures of the fair value of our reporting units. The Company compares the fair value of each of its reporting units to their respective carrying values, including related goodwill. There can be no assurance that future tests of goodwill impairment will not result in impairment charges.
Long-Lived and Intangible Assets
The Company evaluates long-lived assets and intangible assets with definite lives for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. When it is probable that undiscounted future cash flows will not be sufficient to recover an asset’s carrying amount, the asset is written down to its fair value. Assets to be disposed of by sale, if any, are reported at the lower of the carrying amount or fair value less cost to sell.
Accounting for Stock Options
The Company uses stock options to attract, retain and reward employees for long-term service. The Company follows “Share Based Payment,” which requires that the compensation cost relating to stock-based payment transactions be recognized in financial statements. This compensation cost is measured based on the fair value of the equity or liability instruments issued. The Company measures stock-based compensation cost using the Black-Scholes option pricing model.
Insurance Liabilities
The Company has risk participation arrangements with respect to workers compensation and health care insurance. The amounts included in the Company’s costs related to this risk participation are estimated and can vary based on changes in assumptions, the Company’s claims experience or the providers included in the associated insurance programs.
Accounting for Income Taxes
In establishing the provision for income taxes and deferred income tax assets and liabilities, and valuation allowances against deferred tax assets, the Company makes judgments and interpretations based on enacted tax laws, published tax guidance and estimates of future earnings. As of December 31, 2011, the Company had domestic short term deferred tax assets of $0.7 million, total domestic long term net deferred income tax assets of $2.7 million and foreign tax liability of $0.1 million. The domestic short term deferred tax assets primarily represent the tax effect of accrued expenses which will be deductible for tax purposes within a twelve month period. The domestic long term deferred tax assets represent the tax effect of temporary differences for the GAAP versus tax amortization of intangibles arising from acquisitions made in prior periods. Realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the likelihood that future taxable income will be sufficient to realize these benefits over time, and the effectiveness of tax planning strategies in the relevant tax jurisdictions. In the event that actual results differ from these estimates and assessments, valuation allowances may be required.
The Company conducts its operations in multiple tax jurisdictions in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada. With limited exceptions, the Company is no longer subject to audits by state and local tax authorities for tax years prior to 2007. The Company’s federal income tax returns have been examined through 2007.
The Company’s future effective tax rates could be adversely affected by changes in the valuation of its deferred tax assets or liabilities or changes in tax laws or interpretations thereof. In addition, the Company is subject to the examination of its income tax returns by the Internal Revenue Service and other tax authorities. The Company regularly assesses the likelihood of adverse outcomes resulting from these examinations to determine the adequacy of its provision for income taxes.
Accrued Bonuses
The Company pays bonuses to certain executive management, field management and corporate employees based on, or after giving consideration to, a variety of financial performance measures. Executive management, field management and certain corporate employees’ bonuses are accrued throughout the year for payment during the first quarter of the following year, based in part upon anticipated annual results compared to annual budgets. In addition, the Company pays discretionary bonuses to certain employees, which are not related to budget performance. Variances in actual results versus budgeted amounts can have a significant impact on the calculations and therefore on the estimates of the required accruals. Accordingly, the actual earned bonuses may be materially different from the estimates used to determine the quarterly accruals.
Forward-looking Information
The Company’s growth prospects are influenced by broad economic trends. The pace of customer capital spending programs, new product launches and similar activities have a direct impact on the need for information technology and engineering services. When the U.S., Canadian or global economies decline, the Company’s operating performance could be adversely impacted. The Company believes that its fiscal discipline, strategic focus on targeted vertical markets and diversification of service offerings provides some insulation from adverse trends. However, declines in the economy could result in the need for future cost reductions or changes in strategy.
Additionally, changes in government regulations could result in prohibition or restriction of certain types of employment services or the imposition of new or additional employee benefits, licensing or tax requirements with respect to the provision of employment services that may reduce the Company’s future earnings. There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to increase the fees charged to its clients in a timely manner and in a sufficient amount to cover increased costs as a result of any of the foregoing.
MANAGEMENT DISCUSSION FOR LATEST QUARTER
Overview
RCM participates in a market that is cyclical in nature and sensitive to economic changes. As a result, the impact of economic changes on revenues and operations can be substantial, resulting in significant volatility in the Company’s financial performance.
The Company experienced a decrease in revenues during the twenty-six week period ended June 30, 2012 as compared to the comparable prior year period. The revenue decrease was primarily attributable to decreased revenues in its Canadian Engineering division and the residual impact from subpar performance in the Company’s Information Technology segment in 2011, and was partially offset by increases in the Company’s Specialty Health Care segment as further discussed in the Segment Discussion below. While the Company believes general economic conditions and overall market conditions for its Information Technology and Specialty Health Care segments have improved slightly from their recessionary lows, the Company is cautious regarding expectations for the remainder of 2012 as the Company believes that any general economic or market recovery may be slow and/or tenuous.
The Company believes it has developed and assembled an attractive portfolio of capabilities, established a proven record of performance and credibility and built an efficient pricing structure. The Company is committed to optimizing its business model as a single-source premier provider of business and technology solutions with a strong vertical focus offering an integrated suite of services through a global delivery platform.
The Company believes that most companies recognize the importance of advanced technologies and business processes to compete in today’s business climate. However, the process of designing, developing and implementing business and technology solutions is becoming increasingly complex. The Company believes that many businesses today are focused on return on investment analysis in prioritizing their initiatives. This has had an adverse impact on spending by current and prospective clients for many emerging new solutions.
Nonetheless, the Company continues to believe that businesses must implement more advanced information technology and engineering solutions to upgrade their systems, applications and processes so that they can maximize their productivity and optimize their performance in order to maintain a competitive advantage. Although working under budgetary, personnel and expertise constraints, companies are driven to support increasingly complex systems, applications and processes of significant strategic value. This has given rise to a demand for outsourcing. The Company believes that its current and prospective clients are continuing to evaluate the potential for outsourcing business critical systems, applications and processes.
The Company provides project management and consulting services, which are billed based on either agreed-upon fixed fees or hourly rates, or a combination of both. The billing rates and profit margins for project management and solutions services are generally higher than those for professional consulting services. The Company generally endeavors to expand its sales of higher margin solutions and project management services. The Company also realizes revenues from client engagements that range from the placement of contract and temporary technical consultants to project assignments that entail the delivery of end-to-end solutions. These services are primarily provided to the client at hourly rates that are established for each of the Company's consultants based upon their skill level, experience and the type of work performed.
The majority of the Company's services are provided under purchase orders. Contracts are utilized on certain of the more complex assignments where the engagements are for longer terms or where precise documentation on the nature and scope of the assignment is necessary. Although contracts normally relate to longer-term and more complex engagements, they do not obligate the customer to purchase a minimum level of services and are generally terminable by the customer on 60 to 90 days’ notice. The Company, from time to time, enters into contracts requiring the completion of specific deliverables. Typically these contracts are for less than one year. The Company recognizes revenue on these deliverables at the time the client accepts and approves the deliverables.
Costs of services consist primarily of salaries and compensation-related expenses for billable consultants and employees, including payroll taxes, employee benefits and insurance. Selling, general and administrative expenses consist primarily of salaries and benefits of personnel responsible for business development, recruiting, operating activities, and training, and include corporate overhead expenses. Corporate overhead expenses relate to salaries and benefits of personnel responsible for corporate activities, including the Company's corporate marketing, administrative and financial reporting responsibilities and acquisition program. The Company records these expenses when incurred.
Critical Accounting Policies
The Company’s consolidated financial statements were prepared in accordance with U. S. generally accepted accounting principles, which require management to make subjective decisions, assessments and estimates about the effect of matters that are inherently uncertain. As the number of variables and assumptions affecting the judgment increases, such judgments become even more subjective. While management believes its assumptions are reasonable and appropriate, actual results may be materially different from estimated. Management has identified certain critical accounting policies, described below, that require significant judgment to be exercised by management.
Revenue Recognition
The Company derives its revenues from several sources. The Company’s Engineering Services and Information Technology Services segments perform consulting and project solutions services. All of the Company’s segments perform staff augmentation services and derive revenue from permanent placement fees. The majority of the Company's revenues are invoiced on a time and materials basis.
Project Services
The Company recognizes revenues in accordance with “Revenue Recognition” which clarifies application of U.S. generally accepted accounting principles to revenue transactions. Project services are generally provided on a cost-plus, fixed-fee or time-and-material basis. Typically, a customer will outsource a discrete project or activity and the Company assumes responsibility for the performance of such project or activity. The Company recognizes revenues and associated costs on a gross basis as services are provided to the customer and costs are incurred using its employees. The Company, from time to time, enters into contracts requiring the completion of specific deliverables. The Company may recognize revenues on these deliverables at the time the client accepts and approves the deliverables. In instances where project services are provided on a fixed-price basis and the contract will extend beyond a 12-month period, revenue is recorded in accordance with the terms of each contract. In some instances, revenue is billed and recorded at the time certain milestones are reached, as defined in the contract. In other instances, revenue is billed and recorded based upon contractual rates per hour (i.e., percentage of completion). In addition, some contracts contain “Performance Fees” (bonuses) for completing a contract under budget. Performance Fees, if any, are recorded when earned. Some contracts also limit revenues and billings to maximum amounts. Provision for contract losses, if any, are made in the period such losses are determined. For contracts where there is a deliverable, the work is not complete on a specific deliverable and the revenue is not recognized, the costs are deferred. The associated costs are expensed when the related revenue is recognized.
Consulting and Staffing Services
Revenues derived from consulting and staffing services are recorded on a gross basis as services are performed and associated costs have been incurred using employees of the Company. These services are typically billed on a time and material basis.
In certain cases, the Company may utilize other companies and their employees to fulfill customer requirements. In these cases, the Company receives an administrative fee for arranging for, billing for, and collecting the billings related to these companies. The customer is typically responsible for assessing the work of these companies who have responsibility for acceptability of their personnel to the customer. Under these circumstances, the Company’s reported revenues are net of associated costs (effectively recognizing the net administrative fee only).
Transit Receivables and Transit Payables
From time to time, the Company’s Engineering segment enters into agreements to provide, among other things, construction management and engineering services. Pursuant to these agreements, the Company: a) engages subcontractors to provide construction services; b) typically earns a fixed percentage of the total project value as a fee and c) assumes no ownership or risks of inventory. In such situations, the Company acts as an agent under the provisions of “Overall Considerations of Reporting Revenue Gross as a Principal versus Net as an Agent” and therefore recognizing revenue on a “net basis.” The Company records revenue on a “net” basis on relevant engineering and construction management projects, which require subcontractors or transit costs. In those situations, the Company charges the client a management fee, which is reported as net revenue when earned. Similarly, the Company’s Information Technology segment acts as an agent for a major staffing client. The Company manages the staffing requirements for a division of the client and numerous staffing agencies provide staff and the Company collects a management fee. During the twenty-six week period ended June 30, 2012, the total gross billings, including both transit cost billings and the Company’s earned fees, was $32.2 million for which the Company recognized $4.3 million of its net management fee as revenue.
Under the terms of the agreements, the Company is not required to pay the subcontractor under its Engineering contracts or staffing agencies under the Information Technology contract until after the corresponding payment from the Company’s client is received. Upon invoicing the end client on behalf of the subcontractor or staffing agency the Company records this amount simultaneously as both a “transit account receivable” and “transit account payable” as the amount when paid to the Company is due to and generally paid to the subcontractor within a few days. The Company typically does not pay a given transit account payable until the related transit account receivable is collected. Transit accounts payable often exceeds transit accounts receivable due to timing differences. The transit accounts receivable was $4.6 million and related transit accounts payable was $9.1 million as of June 30, 2012.
Permanent Placement Services
The Company earns permanent placement fees from providing permanent placement services. Fees for placements are recognized at the time the candidate commences employment. The Company guarantees its permanent placements on a prorated basis for 90 days. In the event a candidate is not retained for the 90-day period, the Company will provide a suitable replacement candidate. In the event a replacement candidate cannot be located, the Company will provide a prorated refund to the client. An allowance for refunds, based upon the Company’s historical experience, is recorded in the financial statements. Revenues are recorded on a gross basis.
Accounts Receivable
The Company’s accounts receivable are primarily due from trade customers. Credit is extended based on evaluation of customers’ financial condition and, generally, collateral is not required. Accounts receivable payment terms vary and are stated in the financial statements at amounts due from customers net of an allowance for doubtful accounts. Accounts receivable outstanding longer than the payment terms are considered past due. The Company determines its allowance by considering a number of factors, including the length of time trade accounts receivable are past due, the Company’s previous loss history, the customer’s current ability to pay its obligation to the Company, and the condition of the general economy and the industry as a whole. The Company writes off accounts receivable when they become uncollectible.
Goodwill
Goodwill represents the premium paid over the fair value of the net tangible and intangible assets acquired in business combinations. The Company is required to assess the carrying value of its reporting units that contain goodwill at least on an annual basis in order to determine if any impairment in value has occurred. The Company has the option to first assess qualitative factors to determine whether it is necessary to perform a two-step impairment test. An assessment of those qualitative factors or the application of the goodwill impairment test requires significant judgment including but not limited to the assessment of the business, its management and general market conditions, estimation of future cash flows, which is dependent on internal forecasts, estimation of the long-term rate of growth for the businesses, the useful life over which cash flows will occur and determination of weighted average cost of capital. Changes in these estimates and assumptions could materially affect the determination of fair value and/or conclusions on goodwill impairment for each reporting unit. The Company formally assesses these qualitative factors and, if necessary, conducts its annual goodwill impairment test as of the last day of the Company’s fiscal November each year, or more frequently if indicators of impairment exist. The Company periodically analyzes whether any such indicators of impairment exist. A significant amount of judgment is involved in determining if an indicator of impairment has occurred. Such indicators may include a sustained, significant decline in share price and market capitalization, a decline in expected future cash flows, a significant adverse change in legal factors or in the business climate, unanticipated competition, a material change in management or other key personnel and/or slower expected growth rates, among others. Due to the thin trading of the Company stock in the public marketplace and the impact of the control premium held by a relatively few shareholders, the Company does not consider the market capitalization of the Company the most appropriate measure of fair value of goodwill for our reporting units. The Company looks to earnings/revenue multiples of similar companies recently completing acquisitions and the ability of our reporting units to generate cash flows as better measures of the fair value of our reporting units. The Company compares the fair value of each of its reporting units to their respective carrying values, including related goodwill. There can be no assurance that future tests of goodwill impairment will not result in impairment charges.
Long-Lived and Intangible Assets
The Company evaluates long-lived assets and intangible assets with definite lives for impairment whenever events or changes in circumstances indicate that the carrying amount of an asset may not be recoverable. When it is probable that undiscounted future cash flows will not be sufficient to recover an asset’s carrying amount, the asset is written down to its fair value. Assets to be disposed of by sale, if any, are reported at the lower of the carrying amount or fair value less cost to sell.
Accounting for Stock Options
The Company uses stock options to attract, retain and reward employees for long-term service. The Company follows “Share Based Payment,” which requires that the compensation cost relating to stock-based payment transactions be recognized in financial statements. This compensation cost is measured based on the fair value of the equity issued. The Company measures stock-based compensation cost using the Black-Scholes option pricing model.
Insurance Liabilities
The Company has risk participation arrangements with respect to workers compensation and health care insurance. The amounts included in the Company’s costs related to this risk participation are estimated and can vary based on changes in assumptions, the Company’s claims experience or the providers included in the associated insurance programs.
Accounting for Income Taxes
In establishing the provision for income taxes and deferred income tax assets and liabilities, and valuation allowances against deferred tax assets, the Company makes judgments and interpretations based on enacted tax laws, published tax guidance and estimates of future earnings. As of June 30, 2012, the Company had domestic short term deferred tax income assets of $0.7 million, total domestic long term net deferred income tax assets of $2.4 million and foreign deferred income tax liability of $0.1 million. The domestic short term deferred tax assets primarily represent the tax effect of accrued expenses which will be deductible for tax purposes within a twelve month period. The domestic long term deferred tax assets represent the tax effect of temporary differences for the GAAP versus tax amortization of intangibles arising from acquisitions made in prior periods. Realization of deferred tax assets is dependent upon the likelihood that future taxable income will be sufficient to realize these benefits over time, and the effectiveness of tax planning strategies in the relevant tax jurisdictions. In the event that actual results differ from these estimates and assessments, valuation allowances may be required.
The Company conducts its operations in multiple tax jurisdictions in the United States, Puerto Rico and Canada. With limited exceptions, the Company is no longer subject to audits by state and local tax authorities for tax years prior to 2007. The Company’s federal income tax returns have been examined through 2007.
The Company’s future effective tax rates could be adversely affected by changes in the valuation of its deferred tax assets or liabilities or changes in tax laws or interpretations thereof. In addition, the Company is subject to the examination of its income tax returns by the Internal Revenue Service and other tax authorities. The Company regularly assesses the likelihood of adverse outcomes resulting from these examinations to determine the adequacy of its provision for income taxes.
There have been no changes in the unrecognized tax benefits from the balance recorded as of December 31, 2011.
Accrued Bonuses
The Company pays bonuses to certain executive management, field management and corporate employees based on, or after giving consideration to, a variety of financial performance measures. Executive management, field management and certain corporate employees’ bonuses are accrued throughout the year for payment during the first quarter of the following year, based in part upon anticipated annual results compared to annual budgets. In addition, the Company pays discretionary bonuses to certain employees, which are not related to budget performance. Variances in actual results versus budgeted amounts can have a significant impact on the calculations and therefore on the estimates of the required accruals. Accordingly, the actual earned bonuses may be materially different from the estimates used to determine the quarterly accruals.
Forward-looking Information
The Company’s growth prospects are influenced by broad economic trends. The pace of customer capital spending programs, new product launches and similar activities have a direct impact on the need for information technology and engineering services. When the U.S., Canadian or global economies decline, the Company’s operating performance could be adversely impacted. The Company believes that its fiscal discipline, strategic focus on targeted vertical markets and diversification of service offerings provides some insulation from adverse trends. However, declines in the economy could result in the need for future cost reductions or changes in strategy.
Additionally, changes in government regulations could result in prohibition or restriction of certain types of employment services or the imposition of new or additional employee benefits, licensing or tax requirements with respect to the provision of employment services that may reduce the Company’s future earnings. There can be no assurance that the Company will be able to increase the fees charged to its clients in a timely manner and in a sufficient amount to cover increased costs as a result of any of the foregoing.
The consulting and employment services market is highly competitive with limited barriers to entry. The Company competes in global, national, regional and local markets with numerous competitors in all of the Company's service lines. Price competition in the industries the Company serves is significant, and pricing pressures from competitors and customers are increasing. The Company expects that the level of competition will remain high in the future, which could limit the Company’s ability to maintain or increase its market share or profitability.
Engineering
Engineering revenues of $14.8 million in the thirteen week period ended June 30, 2012 decreased $1.1 million, or 7.0%, as compared to the comparable prior year period. Revenue from the Company’s Canadian Engineering division decreased by $2.1 million and was offset by increases of $1.0 million from the balance of the Engineering segment. The Company believes the revenue decrease for its Canadian Engineering division was due mainly to procedural client delays. The Company believes that its Canadian Engineering division clients will award significant contracts to the Company in 2012 and that revenue levels will increase in the second half of 2012 as compared to the first half of this year. The Engineering segment operating income was $0.3 million for the thirteen week period ended June 30, 2012 as compared to $1.1 million in the comparable prior year period. The decrease in operating income was primarily due to the decrease in revenues and an increase in cost of services as a percentage of revenues to 77.9% for the thirteen week period ended June 30, 2012 as compared to 74.1% in the comparable prior year period. The increase in cost of services as a percentage of revenues was primarily due to increases in non-billable labor in the Company’s Canadian Engineering division since that division had a heightened need for non-billable proposal preparation and needs to maintain its highly trained workforce for expected increases in demand for services in the second half of fiscal 2012. The Company believes it will experience decreased cost of services as a percentage of revenues during the second half of 2012.
Specialty Health Care
Specialty Health Care revenues of $7.6 million in the thirteen week period ended June 30, 2012 increased $0.4 million, or 5.1%, as compared to the comparable prior year period. The increase was primarily due to the Company’s concerted efforts to expand its geographic reach. The Specialty Health Care segment operating income was $0.5 million for the thirteen week period ended June 30, 2012 as compared to $0.8 million for the comparable prior year period. The decrease in operating income is primarily due to an increase in cost of services of 68.2% for the thirteen week period ended June 30, 2012 as compared to 65.6% in the comparable prior year period. The primary reasons for the increase in cost of services was due to labor rate increases in the Company’s core geographic markets and the fact that as the Company expands its geographic reach, more competitive pricing is often necessary.
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Fund Letters
