ModivCare Inc (MODV) 2015 Q3 法說會逐字稿

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  • Operator

  • Good day, ladies and gentlemen, and welcome to the Providence Service Corp. third quarter 2015 earnings conference call. At this time, all participants are in a listen-only mode. Later we will conduct a question-and-answer session, and instructions will be given at that time. (Operator Instructions). As a reminder, this call is being recorded. I would now like to turn the conference over to your host for today, Ms. Alison Ziegler. Ma'am, you may begin.

  • Alison Ziegler - IR

  • Thank you. Good morning, everyone and thank you for joining us this morning for Providence's conference call and Webcast to discuss our financial results for the three months ended September 30, 2015. On the call from Providence today is Jim Lindstrom, Chief Executive Officer; and David Shackelton, Chief Financial Officer. Before we begin, please note that we have arranged for a replay of this call, which will remain available until November 17th. The replay number is 855-859-2056, or 404-537-3406; with the conference ID 60084396. This call is also being webcast live with a replay available. To access the webcast go to Providence's new Web address, www.PRSCholdings.com, and look under the Event Calendar on the Investor Information tab.

  • Before we get started I would like to remind everyone of the Safe Harbor Statement included in the press release, and that the cautionary statements apply to today's conference call as well. During the course of this call, the Company may make projections or other forward-looking statements regarding future events or the Company's beliefs about its financial results for 2015 and beyond. We wish to caution you that such statements are just predictions and involve risks and uncertainties. Actual results may differ materially.

  • Factors which may affect actual results are detailed in the Company's recent filings with the SEC, including the Company's annual report on Form 10-K for the year ended December 31, 2014 as well as subsequent filings. The Company's forward-looking statements are subject to change and are based on current expectations that involve a number of known and unknown risks, uncertainties, and other factors which may cause actual events to be materially different from those expressed or implied by such forward-looking statements. These statements speak only as of the date of this webcast, November 10, 2015.

  • The Company is under no obligation to, and expressly disclaims, any such obligation to update any information presented if any forward-looking statement later turns out to be inaccurate, whether the result new information, future events, or otherwise.

  • In addition to the financial results prepared in accordance with generally accepted accounting principals, GAAP, stated in the press release and provided throughout our call today, the Company has also provided EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA, non-GAAP measurements which present its earnings on a pro forma basis. During this call, the Company will discuss certain pro forma financial measures given affect to the result of certain recent acquisitions as if they had occurred at the beginning of fiscal 2014, which is also a non-GAAP presentation. EBITDA, adjusted EBITDA, and pro forma financial measures discussed are measurements not determined in accordance with, or an alternative for, generally accepted accounting principals, and may be different from non-GAAP measures used by some companies.

  • A definition, calculation, and reconciliation to the most comparable GAAP measures for EBITDA and adjusted EBITDA can be found in our press release. A definition, calculation, and reconciliation to the most comparable GAAP measure, the pro forma financial measures provided can be found on our website, www.PRFCholdings.com, and in our current report on Form 8-K filed with the SEC on November 9, 2015. The items excluded or included in the non-GAAP measures pertain to certain items that are considered to be material so that exclusion or inclusion of the items would, in management's belief, enhance a reader's ability to measure overall operating performance and compare the results of the Company's business after excluding or including these items with other companies within its industry.

  • Finally, for simplicity, we will be speaking in U.S. dollars when referring to such things as contracts and revenues. Amounts translated from other currencies, including British pound, have been translated at the exchange rates in effect for the corresponding time period. As such, these amounts may differ in future periods.

  • I would now like to turn the call over to the CEO of Providence, Jim Lindstrom. Go ahead, Jim.

  • Jim Lindstrom - CEO

  • Great. thank you, Alison, and thank you, everybody for joining today's call. I apologize in advance for any background noise. I am actually in one of our Ingeus call centers in Birmingham, England. So, I apologize in advance.

  • We have had a busy few months as I think everybody knows. We look forward to communicating our operational and financial highlights from the recent quarter on this call.

  • First though, we announced the strategic sale of our Human Services, or PHS as we call it internally, a segment to Molina Healthcare. Foremost, I would like to thank the PHS team on behalf of Providence. As many of you know, Human Services contained the original service offerings of Providence. These behavioral and mental health services are highly complementary to Molina's health plan offerings, and the transaction provides Molina with an opportunity to demonstrate the value that can be created when physical and mental health are brought together to deliver a holistic health care offering. We wish Human Services, which has been rebranded as Molina Pathways, the best in their new corporate home.

  • For Providence, the sale of Human Services provides increased financial flexibility, and increases the Company's ability to pursue strategic opportunities aimed at increasing intrinsic value per share. For example, as we announced in yesterday's press release, our Board of Directors has approved a $70 million share repurchase program, which may be funded with a portion of the transaction proceeds and future cash flows. The program will cover the next 12 months and allow us to opportunistically deploy capital in our favorite investment, Providence. Please note that this $70 million share repurchase program is in addition to the $29 million share repurchase that we executed in October.

  • The remaining proceeds from the sale of Human Services will be used to pay down debt, as well as for investments, and the long-term development of our current operations and potential future acquisitions.

  • Next, I would like to welcome Leslie Norwalk and Matthew Umscheid to the Company. Leslie joined Providence's Board last week, and brings extensive health care and regulatory expertise to Providence, having formally served as the head of CMS during the Bush Administration. Matt joined the management team last week as the Senior Vice President of Strategic Services. Matt brings substantial health care and operating experience to the Company. Prior to joining Providence, Matt worked with numerous health care services companies and a well-regarded private equity firm.

  • These new additions to the Providence team are just two examples of value creation strategy we are implementing here at Providence.

  • As shared and previewed at our investor day in September, we have been working extensively with each of our verticals on this value creation strategy, which is focused on honing budgets, sales and operating targets, and capital allocation priorities for 2016. This work is also aiding us as we look to improve client solutions and operational effectiveness in not only 2016, but in 2017 and 2018 as well.

  • So moving on to the segments, I will start with WD Services and congratulate Jack Sawyer, who has recently been named CEO of all of Ingeus. Jack has been with Ingeus since 2004, and has demonstrated great leadership in his position as CEO of Ingeus UK. Jack embodies the values of the Ingeus organization. These values born of the vision of Ingeus' founder Therese Rein; and the former CEO of Ingeus International, Greg Ashmead, are vital to the future success of Ingeus, and we believe as we talked about at our investor day, our competitive advantage for us. While remaining shareholders of Providence and continued financial partners in the future of Ingeus, Therese and Greg haven chosen to step down from their executive roles. On behalf of Providence, I would like to thank Therese and Greg for their leadership in helping countless people across the globe achieve greater success in life by connecting them with career opportunities.

  • Operationally in the third quarter, the WD Services management team continued to focus on the execution and implementation of new contracts. Our two new largest programs, the RRP Program and Mission Providence, have exceed our operational and financial targets for the year-to-date.

  • Our offender rehabilitation programs, or RRP as we have talked about, in Q3 performed better financially than expected due to lower costs than originally anticipated, additional supplemental revenue streams and the delay of certain transformation costs into late Q4 and early 2016.

  • In Australia, Mission Providence, a significant investment for us in 2015, is exceeding our job placement targets in its first few months of operation, and has received almost 40,000 referrals in its job active program. On the work program, and as expected, volumes continue to decline and are close to our internal targets overall.

  • However, the impact of EBITDA of declining work program referrals continues to be offset by operational improvements, job start, and sustainment payments, largely driven by our strong advisor workforce. Like I said, I am actually at our call center in Birmingham, England at the moment, a location with strong performance and a values-based culture that is consistent with the rest of Ingeus.

  • I was also with our international teams this week, and am pleased to report solid performance in areas like South Korea, and recent wins in France and Germany, and improved outlook at our Assure program in Australia.

  • Moving to net services, or NET services, the team delivered another strong quarter of revenue growth, driven by new contracts and increased membership. EBITDA margins slightly contracted, due to increased utilization and increased payroll costs required in the increased service requirements of managed-care contracts.

  • In terms of new RFP's, management has submitted its proposal for the South Carolina ASO contract, and on New Jersey -- we now do not have -- we do not expect a new RFP to be released until Q1 of 2016. As we look into 2016, we continue to see opportunities within our pipeline and operational strategies to improve our effectiveness and delivery.

  • Lastly at HH Services, or Matrix as it is widely known, our team continued to drive impressive operational efficiencies, which helped to offset the lower impact of lower volumes and pricing on a quarter-over-quarter basis. As discussed on prior calls, Matrix delivered very strong volumes in the first half of the year, partially as a result of volumes being pulled forward from the second half of the year into the first half of the year. While we expect full year 2015 volumes to be higher than 2014 volumes, we expect the second half of 2015 to be slightly less than the first half in terms of volumes, and thus second half revenue in earnings to be slightly less than in the first half. Overall, Matrix continues to be focused on growth within its core Medicare Advantage health assessment market, and expanding in new adjacent markets through additional sales resource investment.

  • In summary, while we are rarely -- we will rarely be pleased to report GAAP net income losses to you for any quarter, we remind you that our businesses, particularly the WD Services, should be viewed over years, not quarters due to the life cycle characteristics of its contracts. However, despite this performance at the net income level, we are pleased with our operational and strategic achievements in Q3. And after our initial budget and ongoing strategic sessions over the last month or two, we feel that we are very well positioned across all of our verticals for a solid 2016 and beyond.

  • Let me now turn the call over to David to discuss the financials.

  • David Shackelton - CFO

  • Thank you, Jim. I would like to start by reviewing the economics of the Human Services transaction as well as the changes made to the layout of the financials in our 10-Q and press release to reflect the significant and strategic disposition.

  • On November 1, we completed our previously-announced sale of Human Services to Molina Healthcare for $200 million. After a positive adjustment of $7.6 million for estimated working capital at close, a negative adjustment of $600,000 for debt assumed by Molina, and a negative adjustment of $8.6 million for estimated transaction expenses, our estimated net proceeds from the sale were $198.4 million. This net proceeds number of $198.4 million includes $10 million of cash placed into escrow to cover potential indemnity claims, but does not include the estimated cash on Human Services balance sheet at close of $24.5 million that Molina paid us for.

  • In the 10-Q, Human Services financial results are reported as discontinued operations. On the consolidated balance sheet, Human Services cash is according to current assets of DiscOps. Again, at close, Molina compensated us for this cash. On the income statement, Human Services financial results are captured in the discontinued operations net of tax line.

  • Immediately after closing, we used the net proceeds, as well as a portion of the Human Services balance sheet cash, to pay down our revolver by $206 million. Note that our revolver balance as of September 30, as reflected in the 10-Q, was only $191.7 million. But as Jim mentioned earlier, we used $27 million from a revolver in October to partially fund a $29 million privately negotiated repurchase of our shares.

  • We intend to utilize the increased revolver capacity for a variety of activities over the next twelve months; including the $70 million opportunistic share repurchase program that Jim mentioned earlier, as well as CapEx and OpEx investments to grow our business, and potential acquisitions, among other uses.

  • Lastly, before moving on to financial results for the quarter, I would like to point out a change to our definition of adjusted EBITDA for WD Services.

  • As in prior quarters, we are including the loss on equity investment related according to our Mission Providence JV investment in Australia. New to this quarter however, we are backing out the taxes and G&A contained within this loss on equity investment, making this adjustment negatively impacts WD Services EBITDA by approximately $900,000 in Q3, and negatively impacts it by $2.2 million year-to-date. The adjustment has a negative impact to EBITDA because the Mission Providence JV has been generating a large tax benefit year-to-date due to its negative net income prior to income taxes.

  • Moving on to financial results for the quarter, consolidated revenue and adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations was $432.5 million and $16.4 million, respectively. Including Human Services, Q3 revenue and adjusted EBITDA was $517 million and $18.2 million respectively. Year-to-date revenue-adjusted EBITDA from continued operations was $1.3 billion and $77.5 million respectively. Including Human Services, year-to-date revenue-adjusted EBITDA was $1.5 billion and $89.6 million.

  • On a pro forma LTM basis, assuming Matrix was acquired on September 30, 2014, revenue and adjusted EBITDA from continuing operations was $1.7 billion and $106 million respectively. This pro forma LTM EBITDA is down from the figure I gave last quarter, as we are now excluding Human Services, which generated LTM-adjusted EBITDA of $15.4 million. Q3 2015 adjusted EBITDA was also behind Q3 2014 pro forma LTM-adjusted EBITDA, due to significant up-front costs related to new programs within the WD Services segment.

  • Diluted EPS available to common shareholders from continuing operations in Q3 2015 was negative $0.30, excluding the portion of the net loss attributable to WD Services of negative $9.2 million, or negative $0.56 per share, EPS would have been positive $0.26 cents. On an adjusted basis, diluted EPS available to common shareholders from continuing operations was positive $0.07 cents. As you can see in our press release, the largest add-back we are taking to get to adjusted EPS is the non-cash and intangible amortization related to the Matrix and Ingeus acquisitions. Again, WD Services negative net income for the quarter significantly depressed adjusted EPS.

  • Moving on to our segment results, NET revenue was up 22.6% for the quarter and 25.3% year-to-date driven by new contracts and increased membership. As previously mentioned, we anticipate this top-line growth rate to slow in the fourth quarter as we lapse the start dates of contracts beginning Q4 2014, and the strong Medicaid expansion growth experienced in Q4 2014. Adjusted EBITDA margins at NET services came in at 6% for the quarter, which is 170 basis points lower than last year.

  • As mentioned on previous calls, margins were negatively impacted by increased utilization as the expansion in woodwork populations became more familiar with the Medicaid transportation benefit, as well as increased resource demands from MCO contracts, which continue to expand as a percentage of our overall revenues. We believe the costs we are incurring provide these higher service levels, with NAT Services, will allow us to continue to win contracts and achieve greater scale in the long-term.

  • At WD Services, adjusted EBITDA for the quarter was negative $5.5 million. The loss was driven by significant start-up costs at Mission Providence, the expected decline in work program volumes, as well as new program costs in France. We expect these trends to continue into Q4, resulting in a negative adjusted EBITDA for WD Services for the quarter as well as for the full year.

  • However, if we are to exclude the impact of Mission Providence, a significant investment for us in 2015, WD Services adjusted EBITDA is expected to be positive for the year. Consistent with previous expectations, Mission Providence is burdening our adjusted EBITDA in 2015 by approximately $12 million.

  • Note that in our calculation of WD Services adjusted EBITDA, we are not adding back certain severance-related costs of approximately $2.3 million year-to-date, or expense accruals related to the release of cash from transaction escrow accounts of approximately $1.4 million year-to-date. Given the one-time nature of these items, an argument could be made to make an add-back to EBITDA. However, at this time we have chosen not to do so in the calculation of our adjusted EBITDA.

  • Finishing up, on segment performance with HA Services, revenue adjusted EBITDA for the segment in the quarter was $52.9 million and $11.9 million respectively, a 22.6% margin. Compared to both Q1 and Q2 this year, HA Services revenue margin was down, primarily as a result of lower volumes. As anticipated, volumes declined slightly quarter-over-quarter, because the management team was able to fulfill the majority of the 2015 volume demands from a significant customer in the first half of the year.

  • Before wrapping up, I will touch on a few consolidated level items. G&A for continuing operations was 4.9% of revenue for the quarter, versus 6.6% in Q3 2014. This 160 basis point reduction in G&A costs was the result of decreased acquisition, integration restructuring, and stock comp expense in Q3 of this year as compared to last year.

  • Our effective tax rate for Q3 2015 was above 100% in Q3 due to non-deductible acquisition-related stock comp expenses, and net operating losses in foreign jurisdictions for which future tax deductions cannot yet be recognized. Excluding these two items, the effective rate in Q3 would have been 43.8%.

  • Net interest expense for the quarter was approximately $4.6 million, which includes $750,000 captured in DiscOps. Given the substantial paydown and revolver last week interest expense should decline in Q4.

  • CapEx from continuing operations was approximately $9.8 million for the quarter, and $21.2 million year-to-date. CapEx is expected to increase significantly in the fourth quarter as a result of major IT investments across all of our segments, particularly WD Services.

  • These CapEx investments, which are expected to yield increased efficiencies in Q4, will bring full-year CapEx from continuing operations into the $40 million range.

  • Again, I would like to reiterate that despite our net income loss for the quarter, driven by WD Services, we are pleased with our operational and strategic achievements. And after our initial budget and continued strategic sessions over the last month, we feel that we are well-positioned across all of our verticals for a solid 2016.

  • With that, Jim and I would like to open up the line for questions.

  • Operator

  • (Operator Instructions). Our first question comes from the line of Bob Labick of CJS Securities. Your line is open. Please go ahead.

  • Jim Lindstrom - CEO

  • Good morning.

  • David Shackelton - CFO

  • Good morning.

  • Bob Labick - Analyst

  • Hi, I wanted to start with WE Services; and first, if Jack is listening, congratulations to him on his new role there. David just mentioned the start-up for Mission Providence in line for $12 million. Could you tell us, regarding the RRP -- and then I think you had start-ups in France as well. I think you said $20 to $25 million was the expected start-up. Are you still on track for that? And are you still on track -- do you believe there should be a -- that should end shortly and have a sharp, positive swing in 2016?

  • David Shackelton - CFO

  • Yes, Bob, this is David. I did mention that the start-up costs associated with Mission Providence is about $12 million for 2015. And then when looking at RRP and France, that $20 to $25 million of start-up costs for the year still holds. We expect -- as Jim mentioned, we did have some of the start-up costs related to RRP pushed into the beginning of 2016. We really view our -- a lot of these a lot of these start-up costs as expiring in the first quarter of 2016, and both of these contracts turning to positive EBITDA positions in the end of the first quarter of 2016 and beginning in the second quarter of 2016.

  • Bob Labick - Analyst

  • Okay, great, thanks. And then looking over Matrix, you mentioned, and you had highlighted it on the last call, you had pulled forward some assessments into the first half, and you just mentioned Q4 should be, I guess, recently similar to Q3. Does the outlook for growth which you gave at the analyst day for 8% to 10% for the next few years, does that still hold for 2016 as you sit here today?

  • David Shackelton - CFO

  • Yes, we believe that still holds. That 8% to 10% three-year CAGR. Although our revenue or our volumes in the second half of 2015 are slightly below those in the first half, full year 2015 volumes are well ahead of full year 2014 volumes.

  • Bob Labick - Analyst

  • Okay, great. And then looking at LogistiCare, you highlight in the queue the buildup of receivables is related to LogistiCare and a little bit for WD Service start-ups. Typically, we have thought of LogistiCare as paying up front, the beginning of the month model. I believe some of these changes in working capital relate to the reconciliation contracts you discussed at the analyst day, but could you confirm and elaborate on that? And when would you expect the cash flow to come in to you?

  • David Shackelton - CFO

  • That is correct on the working capital. The increase is largely related to LogistiCare, but also has components related to WD Services and the new contracts there. At LogistiCare, as you can see, our revenue has been growing quite significantly over the first nine months of this year. So we are getting a natural buildup of AR related to that.

  • You are correct that a number of our contracts, we are paid up front monthly, but we do have contracts where that is not necessarily the case. As you pointed out on the reconciliation contracts that LogistiCare has, there is a look back to see where utilization was for the month and additional payments might be made by the -- the majority of these reconciliation contracts are with MCOs.

  • Bob Labick - Analyst

  • Okay, great. Last one and I will jump back in queue. David, you gave us some good details on the sale and the proceeds from Human Service sale. Could you, if you have it in front of you, otherwise we can figure it out offline -- but give us a sense of the pro forma balance sheet after you got the proceeds in, you bought back the $29 million of stock and the other moves there, what cash and debt looks like right now?

  • David Shackelton - CFO

  • Yes, so I think the easiest way -- and as I mentioned, the cash from Human Services, we were required to put that in the DiscOps line on the balance sheet. So if you assume that we'll have $25 million of cash from Human Services being reimbursed to us by Molina, and then approximately $200 million from the sale. So look at total net proceeds around that $225 million mark. Subtract out the $10 million of escrow, $8 million of transaction costs, and that is really the total net proceeds that we used to repay the revolver. Also keep in mind that we drew down $27 million on the revolver and used $2 million in cash in October for that privately-negotiated share repurchase.

  • Bob Labick - Analyst

  • Okay, I got it. Great. Thank you very much.

  • Operator

  • Thank you. (Operator Instructions). Our next question comes from the line of Mitra Ramgopal of Sidoti. Please go ahead.

  • Mitra Ramgopal - Analyst

  • Yes, hi, good morning. First on the NET business. You are certainly seeing a number of new contracts and increased membership in several states. How much of that would you say is really attributable to health care reform versus maybe the underlying business?

  • David Shackelton - CFO

  • So, Mitra, I think a large part of the benefit of the health care reform ACA that has really kind of impacted us at the second half of 2014, some of those impacts are still flowing through. But, when you look at our largest contract, New Jersey, that increased membership from ACA was really a 2014 event. But again, there still are positive impacts that continue to flow through, just not as significantly as in 2014.

  • Mitra Ramgopal - Analyst

  • Thanks. And as you mentioned New Jersey, do you have any update regarding contract there?

  • David Shackelton - CFO

  • The --

  • Jim Lindstrom - CEO

  • No. Mitra this is Jim. No, we do not. The latest we have heard is, we think it will progress maybe in January, but we thought we would hear by now also. So, yes, that is where we are kind of expecting Q1 at this point.

  • Mitra Ramgopal - Analyst

  • Okay, thanks. And switching to WD, and I know you mentioned when we look at the revenue the benefits you got from the rehab and justice program was partially offset by declining referrals and reduced unit pricing. I was wondering if you would give us a little more color in terms of the environment as it relates to pricing.

  • David Shackelton - CFO

  • So on WD services, that comment related to pricing is really focused on the work program, as was the -- and which has been expected. And part of that contract, the unit pricing does come down over time. So, they are totally expected. And again, those declining volume and pricing was in reference to the work program, which as we all know, is in its later years.

  • Mitra Ramgopal - Analyst

  • And on the health assessment business, I know if you look back at the first quarter you have had a couple quarters of small sequential declines. I was wondering if you could give us a sense when you think that might bottom out.

  • David Shackelton - CFO

  • So in terms of -- you know on Human Services, the volume declined from Q2 to Q3, and again that is just related to how volumes are falling out for the pattern of volumes for the year. We are not seeing a -- on a year-over-year basis, a decline in volumes. It is purely just intra-year volatility within volumes at Matrix.

  • Mitra Ramgopal - Analyst

  • Okay.

  • Jim Lindstrom - CEO

  • Mitra, I think as we mentioned before, we have some exposure to some larger clients which drove some of that. I think the team has been well-focused on diversification and adding new clients, and so we have actually seen quite a volume increase through the year; and the nice addition of additional clients through the year. So what gives us confidence is our -- I think we are working quite well with our larger clients. And as soon as their volume picks up in the first quarter of next year, we will be in good shape to deliver the 8% to 10% that David talked about earlier.

  • Mitra Ramgopal - Analyst

  • Thanks. And this late decline you signed on the margin is really, again, attributable to the volume as opposed to any underlying price issues?

  • Jim Lindstrom - CEO

  • We still see price pressure, but it is not substantial. Also, we are investing versus last year and earlier in the year. We are investing in our product care division, which puts a little bit of pressure on it. But versus the second quarter, it is not very much difference. So volume did hurt a little bit.

  • Mitra Ramgopal - Analyst

  • Thanks. And finally, I know, Jim, on the last call you had mentioned, obviously, when we had the four segments, that potentially you might explore a fifth vertical with the Human Services business now sold. Are you more inclined to maybe explore a fourth vertical, or pretty much you have enough on your plate right now to sort of occupy you for the next year at least?

  • Jim Lindstrom - CEO

  • We are spending a lot of time together as a team and we see a lot of, I would say, within vertical opportunities. So whether it be sort of growth opportunities or we might put a little extra capital or add some resource, and we are quite excited about that. We also see some opportunities for acquisitions within the verticals, which we have -- we are increasing our activity there.

  • So that is really our first priority because we think we have very good operating teams within the verticals, and their knowledge within the spaces that they are operating obviously is quite strong. We saw a pick-up actually in-bound activity after we announced the sale, directly from other people within the industries that we operate. I think they saw the strategic shift in Providence at that point. And so the volume of that activity has picked up.

  • Mitra Ramgopal - Analyst

  • Okay. Thanks again for taking the questions.

  • David Shackelton - CFO

  • Thank you, Mitra.

  • Operator

  • Thank you. (Operator Instructions). Our next question comes from the line of Mike Petusky of Barrington Research. Your line is open. Please go ahead.

  • Mike Petusky - Analyst

  • Good morning, guys; a couple questions. On the G&A expense, you guys have done a nice job in taking that down in terms of absolute dollars the last few quarters. I guess I am just wondering, is there any more that you think you can get done there over the next year to two years, or is this, you know, pretty much as much as you can squeeze out, and this is kind of the run rate going forward?

  • Jim Lindstrom - CEO

  • We are pretty focused on it. We are just going through the budget process, so we feel there is more room in there. We will get some guidance I think at year end when we announce the fourth quarter around that. But, I would say here and a few other areas within the Company we do see some opportunity. That being said, we are offsetting that with adding some resources around sales, and operational improvement teams in some of the verticals. But we see some pretty quick paybacks on those. So corporate-wise, yes, we do see it coming down a little bit more.

  • Mike Petusky - Analyst

  • Great.

  • Jim Lindstrom - CEO

  • David, anything you would like to add to that?

  • David Shackelton - CFO

  • Yes, I would say that I see it coming down over the next couple of years. As Jim said, we are quite focused on that number, and we believe there is room for improvement.

  • Mike Petusky - Analyst

  • Okay, great. And then just flipping over to the NET business, so the -- I just want to make sure I understand. The New Jersey RFP is going to be released in Q1. How long would you guys -- if that is the case -- then how long would you guys expect before a decision was actually made? Hopefully you guys are able to hold the contract, but what is the quickest that could change over regardless?

  • Jim Lindstrom - CEO

  • I hate to give you -- sorry, David. Do you want to jump in on that? I mean, kind of hard to answer. It could be a month. It could be a few months. Certainly, probably by the second quarter, we should know something.

  • Mike Petusky - Analyst

  • Okay. And then I was just wondering -- if I missed this earlier, please forgive. Are there other meaningful pieces of business that you guys are -- in terms of the transportation business that you guys are bidding on in -- you know, that could change hands in 2016?

  • David Shackelton - CFO

  • Yes, so there always are a handful of contracts that we are getting on. We did just submit an RFP for South Carolina, which we hope to hear back on the next couple months. And then in Virginia, we are currently on month-to-month extensions with that contract, and entering in the conversations about extending that for a year, and then we also recently -- it's an existing contract but re-signed in Missouri.

  • In terms of any of our current business outside of New Jersey, that could change hands in 2016, which we hope it does not. The other contracts would be much smaller than New Jersey.

  • Jim Lindstrom - CEO

  • Well, David, there is one that -- I probably should not say which state, but it is contiguous with a current offer, and that could be sizable. I just, I am going to talk at Herman first. I would not want to disclose that right now. But, there is one larger one out there for us.

  • Mike Petusky - Analyst

  • And that would be a new piece of business?

  • David Shackelton - CFO

  • That would be.

  • Mike Petusky - Analyst

  • Okay, great. Thanks, guys, appreciate it.

  • David Shackelton - CFO

  • Thank you.

  • Operator

  • Thank you. And ladies and gentlemen, that does conclude our question-and-answer period. I would like to turn the conference back over to Mr. Jim Lindstrom for any closing remarks.

  • Jim Lindstrom - CEO

  • Great, well thank you everybody. Thank you for those who attended our investor day a few weeks ago and thank you for calling in this morning and being supporters of Providence. We appreciate it. Thank you. Bye-bye.

  • Operator

  • Ladies and gentlemen, thank you for your attendance. This does conclude the program and you may all disconnect. Have a great rest of your day.