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BrightView Holdings, Inc.: Q1 FY2026 earnings call

What management said about Q1 FY2026, from the documents filed with the SEC on 3 February 2026: press release. Guidance figures: 7 kept. The quarter’s numbers.

Key takeaways

  • Revenue rose on snow removal: Total revenue was $614.7 million, up 2.6%, with a $36.0 million increase in snow removal partly offset by lower Development Services and commercial landscaping revenue. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose to $53.5 million: Adjusted EBITDA rose $1.4 million, or 2.7%, to $53.5 million, with the margin unchanged at 8.7%. Source
  • Fiscal 2026 guidance reaffirmed: The company reaffirmed fiscal 2026 guidance, including total revenue of $2.670 to $2.730 billion and adjusted EBITDA of $363 to $377 million. Source
  • Maintenance revenue rose on snow: Maintenance Services revenue rose 6.6% to $436.4 million, as snow removal revenue more than doubled to $68.4 million from $32.4 million. Source
  • Operating cash flow fell 40%: Net cash provided by operating activities was $36.1 million, down 40.3%, as cash used by unbilled and deferred revenue increased. Source
  • Adjusted free cash flow was negative: Adjusted free cash flow was an outflow of $15.4 million, compared with an inflow of $4.4 million in the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Sales force investment accelerated: Increased sales force investment partly offset Maintenance Services adjusted EBITDA gains and contributed to the lower segment margin. Source

“Our first-quarter results were driven by sustained momentum in our key performance indicators, reflecting the progress we continue to make in transforming our business.”

Dale Asplund, BrightView President and Chief Executive Officer

Guidance

AreaPeriodFigureAgainst last quarter
Land maintenance revenue SourceFiscal 2026$1.700 - $1.715 billionKept
Development Services revenue SourceFiscal 2026$790 - $805 millionKept
Snow removal revenue SourceFiscal 2026$190 - $220 millionKept
Total revenue SourceFiscal 2026$2.670 to $2.730 billionKept
Adjusted EBITDA SourceFiscal 2026$363 - $377 millionKept
Adjusted EBITDA margin SourceFiscal 2026+40 to +60 bps margin expansionKept
Adjusted free cash flow SourceFiscal 2026$100 to $115 millionKept

What changed from last quarter

  • Guidance kept: Fiscal 2026 guidance was reaffirmed, with no figure changed from the November 2025 release. Source

Results and growth drivers

  • Revenue rose on snow removal: Total revenue was $614.7 million, up 2.6%, with a $36.0 million increase in snow removal partly offset by lower Development Services and commercial landscaping revenue. Source
  • Net loss widened to $15.2 million: Net loss was $15.2 million, up $4.8 million, a net loss margin of 2.5%. Source
  • Adjusted EBITDA rose to $53.5 million: Adjusted EBITDA rose $1.4 million, or 2.7%, to $53.5 million, with the margin unchanged at 8.7%. Source
  • Adjusted loss per share of $0.01: Adjusted loss per share was $0.01, compared with adjusted earnings per share of $0.04 a year earlier. Source
  • Fiscal 2026 guidance reaffirmed: The company reaffirmed fiscal 2026 guidance, including total revenue of $2.670 to $2.730 billion and adjusted EBITDA of $363 to $377 million. Source

Segment results

  • Maintenance revenue rose on snow: Maintenance Services revenue rose 6.6% to $436.4 million, as snow removal revenue more than doubled to $68.4 million from $32.4 million. Source
  • Commercial landscaping revenue declined: Commercial landscaping revenue fell $8.9 million, and landscape maintenance revenue was $368.0 million, down 2.4%. Source
  • Maintenance margin eased to 8.1%: Maintenance Services adjusted EBITDA was $35.4 million, and segment margin fell 40 basis points to 8.1%. Source
  • Development revenue fell on timing: Development Services revenue fell 6.6% to $179.2 million, with the decline attributed to the timing and mix of projects. Source
  • Development margin rose to 10.1%: Development Services adjusted EBITDA rose 3.4% to $18.1 million, and segment margin reached 10.1% from 9.1%. Source

“We are reaffirming our guidance for fiscal 2026 and are well-positioned to deliver top-line profitable growth and a third consecutive year of record Adjusted EBITDA.”

Dale Asplund, BrightView President and Chief Executive Officer

Costs and depreciation

  • Cost of services rose: Cost of services provided rose to $500.4 million from $472.4 million, and gross profit fell to $114.3 million from $126.8 million. Source
  • SG&A expense declined: Selling, general and administrative expense was $115.2 million, down from $119.3 million in the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Depreciation rose to $42.9 million: Depreciation was $42.9 million against $30.4 million a year earlier, while amortization of intangible assets fell to $6.2 million from $8.1 million. Source

Cash flow and capital spending

  • Operating cash flow fell 40%: Net cash provided by operating activities was $36.1 million, down 40.3%, as cash used by unbilled and deferred revenue increased. Source
  • Adjusted free cash flow was negative: Adjusted free cash flow was an outflow of $15.4 million, compared with an inflow of $4.4 million in the prior-year quarter. Source
  • Net capital spending eased: Net capital expenditures were 8.4% of revenue, against 9.4% a year earlier, with gross capital expenditures of $54.7 million. Source
  • Maintenance capital spending rose: Maintenance Services capital expenditures were $48.7 million, up from $41.7 million, while Development Services fell to $6.0 million from $17.0 million. Source

Shareholder returns and dividends

  • Share repurchases used $18.8 million: Repurchase of common stock and distributions used $18.8 million of cash, against $5.1 million a year earlier. Source
  • 1.1 million shares repurchased: The company repurchased 1.1 million shares of common stock in the quarter. Source
  • Series A dividends of $9.0 million: Series A preferred dividends of $9.0 million were paid in the quarter, the same amount as in the prior-year quarter. Source

Balance sheet and debt

  • Net financial debt rose $41.3 million: Total net financial debt was $844.2 million at December 31, 2025, against $802.9 million at September 30, 2025. Source
  • Leverage ratio rose to 2.4x: Total net financial debt to adjusted EBITDA was 2.4x at December 31, 2025, against 2.3x at September 30, 2025. Source
  • Cash balance fell to $37.0 million: Cash and cash equivalents were $37.0 million at December 31, 2025, against $74.5 million at September 30, 2025. Source

Strategy and investment

  • Sales force investment accelerated: Increased sales force investment partly offset Maintenance Services adjusted EBITDA gains and contributed to the lower segment margin. Source
  • Transformation costs of $7.0 million: Business transformation and integration costs were $7.0 million, mostly IT, infrastructure and transformation spending of $6.8 million, excluded from adjusted measures. Source
  • One BrightView costs treated as distinct: Costs for distinct enterprise-wide initiatives, including One BrightView actions, are excluded from the adjusted measures as they vary in amount. Source

Risks management discussed

  • External: Weather affected ancillary services in commercial landscaping, which reduced revenue in that line this quarter. Source
  • Demand: Development Services revenue moves with the timing and mix of projects, which management cited as the reason for the quarter's decline. Source

Earlier plans management reported on

  • Not stated: Management reaffirmed fiscal 2026 guidance in the first quarter release. Source
  • Not stated: The November 2025 release stated confidence in returning to top-line revenue growth in 2026 and beyond. First quarter revenue rose 2.6%.

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.