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Aveanna Healthcare Holdings, Inc.: Q1 FY2027 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2027, from the documents filed with the SEC on 14 May 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 2 raised. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose 15.9% year over year: Revenue reached $647.9 million for the quarter, up $88.7 million or 15.9% from $559.2 million a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 25.2%: Adjusted EBITDA was $84.4 million, or 13.0% of revenue, up $17.0 million from $67.4 million, or 12.0% of revenue. Source
  • Growth led by PDS segment: Compared with the first three months of 2025, PDS revenue rose $75.7 million, HHH revenue rose $9.9 million and MS revenue rose $3.2 million. Source
  • Gross margin rate fell 1.1 points: Gross margin was $205.4 million, or 31.7% of revenue, against $183.6 million, or 32.8%. Cost of revenue rose 17.8%, against revenue growth of 15.9%. Source
  • Free cash flow was negative: Free cash flow was $(3.8) million for the quarter, after operating cash inflow of $4.3 million and capital spending of $4.6 million. Source
  • Pending acquisition to draw on liquidity: The pending acquisition will be funded from cash on hand and securitization borrowings, and is expected to lower liquidity when it closes. Source

“Q1 reflects the strength and resiliency of our business model with an impressive start to 2026.”

Jeff Shaner, Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Revenue Sourcefiscal 2026 (year ending January 2, 2027)between $2.56 and $2.58 billionRaised from between $2.54 and $2.56 billion
Adjusted EBITDA Sourcefiscal 2026 (year ending January 2, 2027)between $328 and $332 millionRaised from between $318 and $322 million

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance raised: Full-year 2026 revenue and Adjusted EBITDA guidance were both raised, as management described the revised ranges. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose 15.9% year over year: Revenue reached $647.9 million for the quarter, up $88.7 million or 15.9% from $559.2 million a year earlier. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose 25.2%: Adjusted EBITDA was $84.4 million, or 13.0% of revenue, up $17.0 million from $67.4 million, or 12.0% of revenue. Source
  • Net income and diluted EPS higher: Net income was $41.7 million, or $0.19 per diluted share, against $5.2 million, or $0.03, a year earlier. Adjusted diluted EPS was $0.18 against $0.10. Source
  • Operating income up 33.8%: Operating income was $69.3 million, or 10.7% of revenue, against $51.8 million, or 9.3% of revenue, in the prior year period. Source

Segment performance

  • Growth led by PDS segment: Compared with the first three months of 2025, PDS revenue rose $75.7 million, HHH revenue rose $9.9 million and MS revenue rose $3.2 million. Source
  • PDS gross margin rate declined: PDS revenue was $535.7 million, up 16.4%. Gross margin was 27.9% of revenue against 29.3%, with gross margin dollars up 10.8%. Source
  • HHH revenue and margin grew: HHH revenue was $66.6 million, up 17.4%. Gross margin was $35.8 million, up 16.4%, at 53.7% of revenue against 54.2%. Source
  • MS gross margin rate increased: MS revenue was $45.7 million, up 7.4%. Gross margin was $20.4 million, up 12.6%, at 44.7% of revenue against 42.7%. Source

“Our team continued to execute at a high level across all three divisions.”

Matt Buckhalter, Chief Financial Officer

Patient volumes and admissions

  • Episodic share of home health rose: Home health episodic mix was 80.9% against 77.3%. Revenue per completed episode was $3,167, up 0.5% from $3,152. Source
  • PDS spread rate held flat: PDS revenue rate rose 5.7% to $44.43 per hour. Cost of revenue rate rose 8.1% to $32.05, leaving the spread rate at $12.38 against $12.37. Source
  • MS spread rate increased 8.1%: MS revenue rate per unique patient rose 2.9% to $490.90, and cost of revenue rate fell 0.9% to $271.37, lifting the spread rate to $219.53. Source

Costs, margins and pricing

  • Gross margin rate fell 1.1 points: Gross margin was $205.4 million, or 31.7% of revenue, against $183.6 million, or 32.8%. Cost of revenue rose 17.8%, against revenue growth of 15.9%. Source
  • Field contribution margin improved: Field contribution was $109.6 million, or 16.9% of revenue, against 16.5%. Branch and regional administrative expenses rose 4.8%. Source
  • Corporate expenses fell as share: Corporate expenses were $34.2 million, down 8.9%, and equal to 5.3% of revenue against 6.7% in the prior year period. Source
  • Acquisition-related costs increased: Acquisition-related costs were $3.1 million against $0.1 million in the prior year period. Other operating expense was nil this quarter. Source

“While we finalize the regulatory approval process on the Family First Homecare transaction, our focus remains on delivering strong organic growth across Aveanna’s national footprint.”

Jeff Shaner, Chief Executive Officer

Cash flow, liquidity and debt

  • Free cash flow was negative: Free cash flow was $(3.8) million for the quarter, after operating cash inflow of $4.3 million and capital spending of $4.6 million. Source
  • Operating cash flow turned positive: Net cash from operating activities was $4.3 million, against an $8.6 million outflow in the prior year quarter. Source
  • Cash and borrowing capacity reported: Cash was $189.3 million at April 4, 2026. Incremental securitization capacity was $110.0 million, and the revolver was undrawn with about $225.5 million available. Source
  • Total indebtedness stood at $1.48 billion: Total indebtedness was $1,483.4 million, comprising $1,318.4 million of term loans and $165.0 million under the securitization facility. Source

Acquisition, hedging and strategy

  • Pending acquisition to draw on liquidity: The pending acquisition will be funded from cash on hand and securitization borrowings, and is expected to lower liquidity when it closes. Source
  • Interest rate exposure hedged: Credit facility rate exposure is hedged with $520.0 million of swaps converting variable debt to fixed, and $880.0 million of caps limiting SOFR to 2.96%. Source
  • Two strategies credited for growth: Management credited its Preferred Payor and Government Affairs strategies with supporting continued growth across all business segments. Source

Figures management reported

FigureReported
PDS hours (thousands) Source12,056, up 10.7%
Home health total admissions (thousands) Source11.0, up 13.4%
Home health total episodes (thousands) Source14.9, up 23.1%
Unique patients served (MS) Source93, up 4.5%

Risks management discussed

  • Financial: Interest rate derivative valuation adjustments sit outside interest expense and produced a $3.1 million adjustment in the quarter. Source
  • Regulatory: Legal and forensic costs of $1.4 million were incurred to comply with a Department of Justice grand jury subpoena tied to a terminated transaction. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management said guidance follows its standard practice of excluding the pending acquisition. Source
  • Not stated: Management said it is not providing net income guidance, consistent with prior practice, because certain required inputs are volatile. Source

Other quarters

Summarised with AI from the documents the company filed with the SEC. Every point is checked against the filing before it is shown: management’s own words word for word, figures against the line or table row they come from. A point that fails the check is left out. Source opens the filing at that line.