Casella reports 3Q 2024 results and recent acquisition

Non-GAAP Performance Measures

In addition to disclosing financial results prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principles in the United States ("GAAP"), the Company also presents non-GAAP performance measures such as Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues, Adjusted Operating Income, Adjusted Operating Income as a percentage of revenues, Adjusted Net Income and Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Common Share that provide an understanding of operational performance because it considers them important supplemental measures of the Company's performance that are frequently used by securities analysts, investors and other interested parties in the evaluation of the Company's results. The Company also believes that identifying the impact of certain items as adjustments provides more transparency and comparability across periods. Management uses these non-GAAP performance measures to further understand its “core operating performance” and believes its “core operating performance” is helpful in understanding its ongoing performance in the ordinary course of operations. The Company believes that providing such non-GAAP performance measures to investors, in addition to corresponding income statement measures, affords investors the benefit of viewing the Company’s performance using the same financial metrics that the management team uses in making many key decisions and understanding how the core business and its results of operations has performed. The tables below set forth such performance measures on an adjusted basis to exclude such items:

(i) Loss from termination of bridge financing is related to the write-off of the remaining unamortized debt issuance costs associated with the extinguishment of bridge financing agreements associated with acquisitions.

(ii) Southbridge Landfill closure charge are expenses related to the unplanned early closure of the Southbridge Landfill along with associated legal activities. The Company initiated the unplanned, premature closure of the Southbridge Landfill in the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017 due to the significant capital investment required to obtain expansion permits and for future development coupled with an uncertain regulatory environment. The unplanned closure of the Southbridge Landfill reduced the economic useful life of the assets from prior estimates by approximately ten years. In August 2024, the Company received the final closure permit related to Southbridge Landfill and entered into post-closure.

(iii) Legal settlement is related to reaching an agreement in June 2023 with the collective class members of a class action lawsuit relating to certain Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938 ("FLSA") claims as well as state wage and hours laws.

(iv) Expense from acquisition activities is comprised primarily of legal, consulting, rebranding and other costs associated with the due diligence, acquisition and integration of acquired businesses. The nine months ended September 30, 2024 included a charge for an increase in the reserve against accounts receivable of the businesses acquired in the acquisition of four wholly owned subsidiaries of GFL Environmental Inc., as a result of our inability to pursue collections during the transition services period with the seller, resulting in accounts receivable aged beyond what is typical in our business.

(v) Gain on resolution of acquisition related contingent consideration is associated with the reversal of a contingency for a transfer station permit expansion that is no longer deemed viable.

(vi) Interest expense from acquisition activities is the amortization of debt issuance costs comprised of transaction, legal, and other similar costs associated with bridge financing activities related to acquisitions.

(vii) Tax effect of the adjustments is an aggregate of the current and deferred tax impact of each adjustment, including the impact to the effective tax rate, current provision and deferred provision. The computation considers all relevant impacts of the adjustments, including available net operating loss carryforwards and the impact on the remaining valuation allowance.
 

Non-GAAP Liquidity Measures

In addition to disclosing financial results prepared in accordance with GAAP, the Company also presents non-GAAP liquidity measures such as Adjusted Free Cash Flow that provide an understanding of the Company's liquidity because it considers them important supplemental measures of its liquidity that are frequently used by securities analysts, investors and other interested parties in the evaluation of the Company's cash flow generation from its core operations that are then available to be deployed for strategic acquisitions, growth investments, development projects, unusual landfill closures, site improvement and remediation, and strengthening the Company’s balance sheet through paying down debt. The Company also believes that showing the impact of certain items as adjustments provides more transparency and comparability across periods. Management uses non-GAAP liquidity measures to understand the Company’s cash flow provided by operating activities after certain expenditures along with its consolidated net leverage and believes that these measures demonstrate the Company’s ability to execute on its strategic initiatives. The Company believes that providing such non-GAAP liquidity measures to investors, in addition to corresponding cash flow statement measures, affords investors the benefit of viewing the Company’s liquidity using the same financial metrics that the management team uses in making many key decisions and understanding how the core business and cash flow generation has performed. The table below, on an adjusted basis to exclude certain items, sets forth such liquidity measures:

(i) Southbridge Landfill closure are cash outlays associated with the unplanned, early closure of the Southbridge Landfill. The Company initiated the unplanned, premature closure of the Southbridge Landfill in the fiscal year ended December 31, 2017, and expects to incur cash outlays through satisfaction of the closure requirements and the environmental remediation process. In August 2024, the Company received the final closure permit related to Southbridge Landfill and entered into post-closure.

(ii) Cash outlays from acquisition activities are cash outlays for transaction and integration costs relating to specific acquisition transactions and include legal, consulting, rebranding and other costs as part of the Company’s strategic growth initiative.

(iii) Acquisition capital expenditures are acquisition related capital expenditures that are necessary to optimize strategic synergies associated with integrating newly acquired operations as contemplated by the discounted cash flow return analysis conducted by management as part of the acquisition investment decision. Acquisition related capital expenditures include costs required to achieve initial operating synergies and integrate operations.

(iv) McKean Landfill rail capital expenditures are long-term infrastructure capital expenditures related to rail side development at the Company's landfill in Mount Jewett, PA ("McKean Landfill"), which is different from the landfill construction investments in the normal course of operations.

(v) FLSA legal settlement payment is the cash outlay of a legal settlement related to reaching an agreement in June 2023 with the collective class members of a class action lawsuit relating to certain claims under the FLSA as well as state wage and hours laws.

(vi) Landfill capping charge - veneer failure payment is the cash outlay associated with operating expenses incurred to clean up the affected capping material at the Company's landfill in Seneca, New York. Engineering analysis is currently underway to determine root causes and responsibility for the event.

Non-GAAP financial measures are not in accordance with or an alternative for GAAP. Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues, Adjusted Operating Income, Adjusted Operating Income as a percentage of revenues, Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Common Share, and Adjusted Free Cash Flow should not be considered in isolation from or as a substitute for financial information presented in accordance with GAAP, and may be different from Adjusted EBITDA, Adjusted EBITDA as a percentage of revenues, Adjusted Operating Income, Adjusted Operating Income as a percentage of revenues, Adjusted Net Income, Adjusted Diluted Earnings Per Common Share, and Adjusted Free Cash Flow presented by other companies.

Following is a reconciliation of the Company's estimated Adjusted EBITDA⁽ⁱ⁾ from estimated Net income for fiscal year 2024:

Following is a reconciliation of the Company's estimated Adjusted Free Cash Flow⁽ⁱ⁾ from estimated Net cash provided by operating activities for fiscal year 2024:

(i) See footnotes for Non-GAAP Performance Measures and Non-GAAP Liquidity Measures included in the Unaudited Reconciliation of Certain Non-GAAP Measures for further disclosure over the nature of the various adjustments to estimated Adjusted EBITDA and estimated Adjusted Free Cash Flow.
 

Amounts of total revenues attributable to services provided for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 are as follows:

Components of revenue growth for the three months ended September 30, 2024 compared to the three months ended September 30, 2023 are as follows:

Components of capital expenditures⁽ⁱ⁾ for the three and nine months ended September 30, 2024 and 2023 are as follows:

(i) The Company's capital expenditures are broadly defined as pertaining to either growth or replacement activities. Growth capital expenditures are defined as costs related to development projects, organic business growth, and the integration of newly acquired operations. Growth capital expenditures include costs related to the following: 1) acquisition capital expenditures that are necessary to optimize strategic synergies associated with integrating newly acquired operations as contemplated by the discounted cash flow return analysis conducted by management as part of the acquisition investment decision and includes the capital expenditures required to achieve initial operating synergies and integrate operations; 2) McKean Landfill rail capital expenditures, which is unique and different from landfill construction investments in the normal course of operations because the Company is investing in long-term infrastructure; and 3) development of new airspace, permit expansions, and new recycling contracts, equipment added directly as a result of organic business growth and infrastructure added to increase throughput at transfer stations and recycling facilities. Replacement capital expenditures are defined as landfill cell construction costs not related to expansion airspace, costs for normal permit renewals, replacement costs for equipment and other capital expenditures due to age or obsolescence, and capital items not defined as growth capital expenditures.