Spending like a bigger company on purpose: current results carry the cost of an expansion aimed at demand management say
The model's full reasoning — Q1 2024 call → NOWe need to determine if management acknowledges that current results are being weighed down by an expansion already undertaken, and justifies it with demand already real. Let's examine the transcript. Key points: - Scott Shaw: "We've had an exceptionally strong start to 2024." "15.3% student start growth, nearly 20% revenue growth and the doubling of adjusted net income." So results are strong, not weighed down. - They mention Lincoln 10.0 hybrid platform generating operating leverage, improving direct instructional cost as a percent of revenue. So they are seeing efficiencies, not costs weighing down. - They mention new campus East Point, Georgia, first class in March. "To date, student starts enrollment at East Point have been above plan." So that's positive. - They mention Houston campus planned, not yet open. "We remain on schedule to welcome our first classes at this campus... in the second quarter of 2025." That's future. - They mention relocating campuses in Nashville and Philadelphia. "Over the next two years, as we layer on new campus openings as well as the program replication strategy..." That's future. - They mention preopening costs for new and relocating campuses are excluded from adjusted EBITDA. So they are not weighing on adjusted results. - Brian Meyers: "Our first quarter adjusted EBITDA results exceed our internal plan at approximately $6.5 million, almost tripling the previous year's $2.2 million." So strong. - They raised guidance. Now, do they acknowledge that current results are being weighed down by expansion? They mention preopening costs are excluded, so they are not weighing on adjusted numbers. They don't say that expansion is depressing profitability. In fact, they say they are seeing operating leverage. Do they justify expansion with demand already real? They mention East Point is above plan, but that's a new campus. They mention corporate partnerships, but that's not necessarily expansion costs. They mention the Container Maintenance Corporation contract, but that's a new opportunity, not necessarily expansion already underway. The question asks: "does management acknowledge that the company's CURRENT reported results are being visibly weighed down by the cost of an expansion the company has ALREADY undertaken" - They do not. They say results are strong. They exclude preopening costs.
| Ticker | Company | Call | Date | Call grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ASO | Academy Sports and Outdoors, Inc. | Q1 2024 | 2024-06-11 | C+ |
| KOPN | Kopin Corporation | Q4 2023 | 2024-03-14 | C+ |
| PUMP | ProPetro Holding Corp. | Q4 2023 | 2024-02-21 | C+ |
| PTLO | Portillo's Inc. | Q2 2023 | 2023-08-05 | B |
| AFL | Aflac Incorporated | Q2 2023 | 2023-08-02 | C+ |
| KE | Kimball Electronics, Inc. | Q3 2023 | 2023-05-06 | C+ |
| SIBN | SI-BONE, Inc. | Q3 2022 | 2022-11-07 | C+ |
| CHE | Chemed Corporation | Q3 2022 | 2022-11-01 | B+ |
| EVGO | EVgo, Inc. | Q2 2022 | 2022-08-09 | C+ |
| WD | Walker & Dunlop, Inc. | Q2 2022 | 2022-08-09 | C+ |
| OGI | OrganiGram Holdings Inc. | Q3 2022 | 2022-07-14 | B+ |
| FLYW | Flywire Corporation | Q1 2022 | 2022-05-14 | B+ |
| HLIO | Helios Technologies, Inc. | Q1 2022 | 2022-05-10 | C |
| IRTC | iRhythm Technologies, Inc. | Q1 2022 | 2022-05-07 | C+ |
| GTES | Gates Industrial Corporation plc | Q4 2021 | 2022-02-07 | C+ |
| LMAT | LeMaitre Vascular, Inc. | Q3 2021 | 2021-10-29 | C+ |
| IRT | Independence Realty Trust, Inc. | Q2 2018 | 2018-08-02 | B |
| JBT | John Bean Technologies Corporation | Q2 2018 | 2018-07-26 | B |
| CP | Canadian Pacific Railway Limited | Q2 2018 | 2018-07-19 | B+ |
| AOSL | Alpha and Omega Semiconductor Limited | Q2 2018 | 2018-02-07 | B |
| IR | Ingersoll-Rand Plc | Q3 2017 | 2017-10-25 | B |
| FLEX | Flex Ltd. | Q1 2018 | 2017-07-28 | F |
SIBN · Q3 2022 → YESThe question is: Does management acknowledge that the company's CURRENT reported results are being visibly weighed down by the cost of an expansion the company has ALREADY undertaken — spending, hirin...YES Management explicitly describes the expansion as already underway and costing the company now: investments in sales force (85 territory managers + 72 specialists), new products (iFuse-TORQ, iFuse-Bedrock Granite), instrument trays, inventory, and R&D that are driving higher depreciation, freight, and product costs 84% gross margin (down low-single digits from these factors). Anshul confirms “we’ve made a substantial amount of investment whether it’s in TORQ trays or Granite trays or TORQ implants” and “this is going to lead to elevated depreciation,” while Laura notes the build supports “strong new product demand.
FLYW · Q1 2022 → YESThe question is: Does management acknowledge that the company's CURRENT reported results are being visibly weighed down by the cost of an expansion the company has ALREADY undertaken, AND justify carr...YES The transcript shows management explicitly linking the current EBITDA decline to the hiring expansion already completed ("increased the number of FlyMates by over 50% during the past year" and "added over 100 new FlyMates within the sales, marketing and product functions"), while framing the spending as a deliberate, ongoing 2022 investment plan that is already delivering observable results through record client adds (130), pipeline growth, and strong ARR signings.
EVGO · Q2 2022 → YESThe question is: Does management acknowledge that the company's CURRENT reported results are being visibly weighed down by the cost of an expansion the company has ALREADY undertaken, AND justify carr...YES Management describes concrete expansion already underway—170 stalls placed in Q2, total stalls at 2,397 with 460 under construction, pipeline at 3,669, CapEx jumped to $44 million to accelerate deployment, and G&A ramping personnel to support growth—while directly tying the resulting negative adjusted EBITDA of -$19.8 million to that deliberate build-out.