Expand / Collapse search
Watch TV
Menu

Quotes displayed in real-time or delayed by at least 15 minutes. Market data provided by Factset. Powered and implemented by FactSet Digital Solutions.  Legal Statement.

This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. ©2024 FOX News Network, LLC. All rights reserved. FAQ - New Privacy Policy

Markets
Published

U-Haul Parent Amerco's Profitability Slides

Amerco (NASDAQ: UHAL) reported its fiscal third-quarter 2018 earnings after the market closed on Wednesday. The parent company of the do-it-yourself moving leader and growing self-storage player U-Haul, which also has two insurance-company subsidiaries, grew revenue 6.6%, while adjusted earnings per share (EPS) declined 30% from the year-ago quarter.

The market's reaction was muted, with shares of Amerco closing down 0.8% on Thursday.

Amerco earnings: The raw numbers

The GAAP results include a $339.2 million, or $17.32 per share, benefit resulting from the Tax Reform Act; they also include an after-tax benefit of $143.8 million, or $7.34 per share, from the sale of a portion of the company's property in Chelsea, New York. The adjusted EPS comparison strips out these one-time items.

What happened with Amerco in the quarter?

  • Revenue in the U-Haul segment, which accounted for 90.5% of total revenue, increased 6.8% from the year-ago period to $762.5 million.
  • Revenue in the insurance segment (comprised of one property-casualty and one life-insurance company) rose 6% to $82.8 million. (Revenue from the two segments adds up to slightly more than the company's total revenue because there's a small revenue elimination, which eliminates the sale of goods and services between the two business units.)
  • Within the U-Haul segment, self-moving equipment rental revenue grew 6.2% from the year-ago period to $574.8 million. Growth was primarily driven by increases in both one-way and in-town transactions. The company increased its rental fleet size, number of independent dealers, and number of company-owned locations compared with the year-ago quarter.
  • Within the U-Haul segment, self-storage revenue rose 13.6% to $82.1 million. Revenue growth was due to improved occupancy at existing locations and the addition of new facilities.
  • Room count grew to 352,000 at the end of the quarter compared to 305,000 at the end of the year-ago period.
  • Average occupancy rate based on room count was 70.9%, down from 75.1% in the year-ago period. This marks the ninth consecutive quarter of year-over-year declines in the occupancy rate.
  • DIY-moving and self-storage product and service sales revenue increased 3% to $53.1 million, while property management fees grew 1.5% to $9.9 million. These are fees the company collects from managing self-storage units owned by others.
  • Operating income in the U-Haul segment jumped 141% to $285.5 million. However, excluding the gain from the sale of the Chelsea property, operating income declined 19.9% from the year-ago quarter. Excluding this gain, total segment revenue grew $48.5 million, while total costs and expenses increased $72.0 million. Fleet maintenance and repair costs, primarily associated with the portion of the fleet nearing resale, accounted for $32.3 million of the year-over-year increase.
  • Operating income in the insurance segment grew 27.6% to $18 million.

What management had to say

Here's what CEO Joe Shoen had to say in the press release:

Looking ahead

Amerco had another challenging quarter, with double-digit declines in adjusted operating income and adjusted EPS. As Schoen stated, the company continues to be "challenged" to better manage its resale vehicles.

As has been the case in recent quarters, the bright spot was the self-storage business, which posted year-over-year revenue growth of 13.6%. This is a positive because this business is less capital-intensive than the company's core self-moving business, and is likely more profitable. That said, the average occupancy rate based on room count declined to 70.9% from 75.1% in the year-ago quarter. Investors should continue to watch this metric.

Amerco doesn't provide guidance. And there's just a single Wall Street analyst who provides estimates, making them of little value.

10 stocks we like better than AmercoWhen investing geniuses David and Tom Gardner have a stock tip, it can pay to listen. After all, the newsletter they have run for over a decade, Motley Fool Stock Advisor, has tripled the market.*

David and Tom just revealed what they believe are the 10 best stocks for investors to buy right now... and Amerco wasn't one of them! That's right -- they think these 10 stocks are even better buys.

Click here to learn about these picks!

*Stock Advisor returns as of February 5, 2018

Beth McKenna has no position in any of the stocks mentioned. The Motley Fool recommends Amerco. The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.