Staffing 360 reports Q1 revenue down 21% because of impact of Covid, IR35 and loss of low-margin client

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Staffing 360 Solutions Inc. (NASDAQ: STAF) reported revenue fell 20.5% in its first quarter ended March 28. The New York-based staffing provider, which also operates in the UK, cited the impact of Covid-19 as well as IR35 in the UK and the loss of a client.

Chairman and CEO Brendan Flood said that results, overall, were in line with guidance.

“As anticipated, the revenue decline was principally due to the loss of a low-margin client in the UK and the impact of IR35 payroll tax legislation in the UK,” Flood said. “Additionally, late in the quarter both countries in which we do business were negatively impacted by the swift worldwide economic turndown due to Covid-19.”

(US$ thousands) Q1 2020 Q1 2019 % change
Revenue $58,692 $73,829 -20.5%
Gross profit $10,648 $12,118 -12.1%
Gross margin  18.1% 16.4%  
Net loss/income ($6,997) $229 nm

Gross margin improved. However, the company noted a $3.0 million goodwill impairment related to its FirstPro reporting unit. Revenue declined and was hit particularly hard by Covid-19, according to a filing with the US Securities and Exchange Commission.

Revenue by segment

(US$ thousands) Q1 2020 Q1 2019 % change
Commercial staffing – US $28,743 $30,085 -4.5%
Professional staffing – US $8,660 $9,581 -9.6%
Professional staffing – UK $21,289 $34,163 -37.7%

Flood said the company has seen revenue improvement over the past four weeks. Staffing 360 is also benefitting from government stimulus programs.

“Based on our current outlook, I believe that the combined US and UK government stimulus assistance we’ve received ($19.4 million from a forgivable US PPP loan, and $1.3 million VAT deferral and government-funded furlough program from the UK) will make a significant positive improvement in our full year financial results,” he said.

Share price and market cap

Shares in Staffing 360 were down 13.0% to approximately 92 cents as of 12:11 p.m. Eastern time; the company had a market cap of $9.9 million, according to FT.com.