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Why Is Leidos (LDOS) Up 10.4% Since Last Earnings Report?

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It has been about a month since the last earnings report for Leidos (LDOS - Free Report) . Shares have added about 10.4% in that time frame, outperforming the S&P 500.

Will the recent positive trend continue leading up to its next earnings release, or is Leidos due for a pullback? Before we dive into how investors and analysts have reacted as of late, let's take a quick look at the most recent earnings report in order to get a better handle on the important drivers.

Leidos Holdings Q1 Earnings Miss, Revenues Rise Y/Y

Leidos Holdings’ first-quarter 2020 adjusted earnings of $1.19 per share missed the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $1.24 by 4%. However, the bottom line grew 5.3% from $1.13 per share registered a year ago.

Moreover, the company’s GAAP earnings of 80 cents per share declined from the year-ago quarter’s $1.29.

Total Revenues

Leidos Holdings generated total revenues of $2,889 million in the quarter under consideration, which exceeded the Zacks Consensus Estimate of $2,884 million by 0.2%. The top line also improved 12.1% year over year, backed by growth across all segments.

Backlog

At the end of the reported quarter, the company’s total backlog was $28.3 billion compared with $24.1 billion at 2019-end. Of this total backlog, $6.2 billion was funded.

Operational Statistics

Total cost of revenues in the quarter increased 12.3% to $2,494 million. Operating income totaled $192 million, in line with the year-ago quarter’s figure.

Non-GAAP operating income margin for the quarter was 8.5% compared with 9.3% in the prior-year quarter, primarily attributable to higher indirect expenditures, including the impacts of the coronavirus pandemic.

Interest expenses summed $48 million compared with $38 million in the prior-year quarter.

Segmental Performance

Defense Solutions: Net revenues at this segment improved 14.4% to $1,705 million from the prior-year quarter’s $1,491 million. This upside can be primarily attributed to revenues related to the acquisition of Dynetics, program wins and a net increase in program volumes.

However, the segment’s operating income declined to $95 million from the year-ago quarter’s $104 million, with the operating margin contracting 140 basis points (bps) to 5.6%.

Health: The segment recorded revenues of $530 million in the first quarter, up 14.5% year over year. The improvement was primarily driven by a net increase in program volumes, program wins and the impact of the acquisition of IMX Medical Management Services, Inc. during the third quarter of fiscal 2019.

Operating income surged 62.2% to $73 million, while operating margin expanded 410 bps to 13.8%.

Civil: Revenues at this segment amounted to $654 million, up 5%. This uptick was primarily attributable to program wins and a net increase in program volumes.

While operating income rose 1.7% to $59 million, operating margin contracted 30 bps to 9%.

Financials

Cash and cash equivalents, as of Apr 3, 2020, were $445 million compared with $668 million, as of Jan 3, 2020.

Long-term debt, net of current portion, amounted to $2,444 million, as of Apr 3, 2020, compared with $2,925 million, as of Jan 3, 2020.

Net cash provided by operating activities in the first quarter of 2020 was $372 million compared with $288 million a year ago.

2020 Guidance

Leidos Holdings revised its outlook for 2020. The company currently expects adjusted earnings in the $5.00-$5.30 range, down from $5.30-$5.65 per share anticipated earlier. The Zacks Consensus Estimates for 2020 earnings, pegged at $5.49 per share, is below the company’s projected view.

Leidos Holdings currently expects revenues in the range of $12.5-$12.9 billion this year, down from $12.6-$13.0 billion anticipated earlier. The Zacks Consensus Estimates for 2020 revenues, pegged at $12.69 billion, is below the midpoint of the company-guided range.

The company’s cash flow from operating activities is anticipated to be at or above $1 billion.

How Have Estimates Been Moving Since Then?

In the past month, investors have witnessed a downward trend in estimates review. The consensus estimate has shifted -16.52% due to these changes.

VGM Scores

At this time, Leidos has a strong Growth Score of A, though it is lagging a bit on the Momentum Score front with a B. Following the exact same course, the stock was allocated a grade of B on the value side, putting it in the second quintile for this investment strategy.

Overall, the stock has an aggregate VGM Score of A. If you aren't focused on one strategy, this score is the one you should be interested in.

Outlook

Estimates have been broadly trending downward for the stock, and the magnitude of these revisions indicates a downward shift. It's no surprise Leidos has a Zacks Rank #4 (Sell). We expect a below average return from the stock in the next few months.


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