Blackbaud Announces 2023 Fourth Quarter and Full Year Results

Full Year 2023 Financial Results Met or Exceeded Financial Guidance Ranges; Blackbaud Announces Refreshed Capital Allocation Strategy

CHARLESTON, S.C., Feb. 12, 2024 /PRNewswire/ — Blackbaud (NASDAQ:BLKB), the leading provider of software for powering social impact, today announced financial results for its fourth quarter and full year ended December 31, 2023.

“The fourth quarter concluded a year of substantial transformation for Blackbaud,” said Mike Gianoni, president, CEO and vice chairman of the board, Blackbaud. “Approximately a year and a half ago, we implemented our five-point operating plan, and it has put our company on a clear trajectory of improving performance. During the year, we delivered innovative new products and feature enhancements to our customers, made significant progress modernizing our software contract renewal terms, and delivered excellent fundraising results for our customers.  Our financial results were strong, and we were able to expand and replenish our previous stock repurchase program and begin repurchasing shares. Looking ahead to 2024, we expect to be a Rule of 40 company for the full year and will remain focused on delivering significant, sustainable value for our shareholders.”

Fourth Quarter 2023 Results Compared to Fourth Quarter 2022 Results:

GAAP total revenue was $295.0 million, up 7.4%, with $287.4 million in GAAP recurring revenue, up 8.4%. GAAP recurring revenue was 97% of total revenue.
Non-GAAP organic recurring revenue increased 8.4%.
GAAP income from operations was $32.3 million, inclusive of security incident-related costs of $4.8 million, with GAAP operating margin of 11.0%, an increase of 1,670 basis points.
Non-GAAP income from operations was $83.8 million, with non-GAAP operating margin of 28.4%, an increase of 840 basis points.
GAAP net income was $5.4 million, with GAAP diluted earnings per share of $0.10, up $0.51 per share.
Non-GAAP net income was $62.2 million, with non-GAAP diluted earnings per share of $1.14, up $0.46 per share.
Non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA was $99.3 million, up $31.3 million, with non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA margin of 33.6%, an increase of 890 basis points.
GAAP net cash used in operating activities was $(3.3) million, inclusive of security incident-related payments of $54.9 million. GAAP net cash used in operating activities decreased $17.4 million and GAAP operating cash flow margin was (1.1)%, a decrease of 620 basis points.
Non-GAAP free cash flow was $(18.6) million, inclusive of security incident-related payments of $54.9 million. Non-GAAP free cash flow decreased $14.9 million and non-GAAP free cash flow margin was (6.3)%, a decrease of 500 basis points.
Non-GAAP adjusted free cash flow was $36.3 million, an increase of $28.7 million, with non-GAAP adjusted free cash flow margin of 12.3%, an increase of 950 basis points.

“The fourth quarter demonstrated continued progress on our five-point operating plan, which has transformed our financial results,” said Tony Boor, executive vice president and CFO, Blackbaud. “In the fourth quarter, revenue grew 7.4% with 33.6% adjusted EBITDA margin for a Rule of 40 of 41.0%. For the full year 2023, we met our guidance range for revenue and exceeded the high end of our guidance ranges for adjusted EBITDA margin, non-GAAP EPS and adjusted free cash flow. The mid-point of our 2024 financial guidance calls for approximately 7% revenue growth and 33% adjusted EBITDA margin to achieve Rule of 40 for the full year. Adjusted free cash flow of $264 million at the midpoint of guidance represents a 22.3% adjusted free cash flow margin and a significant improvement of 300bps over 2023. With our recently announced $500 million stock repurchase authorization, we plan to offset the dilution from annual stock-based compensation, while also opportunistically pursuing additional share repurchases, accretive M&A, and debt repayment to maximize value for our stockholders.”

An explanation of all non-GAAP financial measures referenced in this press release, including the Rule of 40, is included below under the heading “Non-GAAP Financial Measures.” A reconciliation of the company’s non-GAAP financial measures to their most directly comparable GAAP measures has been provided in the financial statement tables included below in this press release.

Recent Company Highlights

Blackbaud released Prospect Insights Pro for Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT®, supporting advanced fundraising organizations with more AI-driven recommendations, including planned gift likelihood and detailed wealth and asset data.
Blackbaud announced the newest cohort of its Social Good Startup Program, welcoming eight new startups that are bringing cutting edge technology to the social impact sector.
In the TrustRadius 2023 “Best Of” Awards, Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT® and Blackbaud Financial Edge NXT® were recognized for Best Value, Best Feature Set and Best Relationship.
Newsweek honored Blackbaud on its Excellence 1000 2024 Index, as well as its list of America’s Most Responsible Companies for the third consecutive year, recognizing the company’s commitment to social responsibility.
Blackbaud was named Corporate Governance Team of the Year in the small-mid cap category at the 2023 Corporate Governance Awards, hosted by Governance Intelligence. The awards recognize outstanding achievements in governance, risk and compliance.
Blackbaud appointed Kristian Talvitie, executive vice president and CFO of PTC Inc., to its board of directors. Talvitie brings 30 years of experience with a diverse background ranging across corporate finance, FP&A, sales, marketing and communications.
Blackbaud announced a reauthorized, expanded and replenished $500M stock repurchase program. about Blackbaud’s recent highlights.

Visit www.blackbaud.com/newsroom for more information about Blackbaud’s recent highlights.

Full-Year 2023 Results Compared to Full-Year 2022 Results:

GAAP total revenue was $1.1 billion, up 4.5%, with $1.1 billion in GAAP recurring revenue, up 5.9%.
Non-GAAP organic recurring revenue increased 6.3%.
GAAP income from operations was $44.7 million, inclusive of security incident-related costs of $53.4 million, with GAAP operating margin of 4.0%, an increase of 670 basis points.
Non-GAAP income from operations was $294.1 million, with non-GAAP operating margin of 26.6%, an increase of 750 basis points.
GAAP net income was $1.8 million, with GAAP diluted earnings per share of $0.03, up $0.91 per share.
Non-GAAP net income was $213.6 million, with non-GAAP diluted earnings per share of $3.98, up $1.29 per share.
Non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA was $356.5 million, up $93.9 million, with non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA margin of 32.2%, an increase of 740 basis points.
GAAP net cash provided by operating activities was $199.6 million, inclusive of security incident-related payments of $78.0 million. GAAP net cash provided by operating activities decreased $4.3 million and GAAP operating cash flow margin was 18.1%, a decrease of 120 basis points.
Non-GAAP free cash flow was $135.5 million, inclusive of security incident-related payments of $78.0 million. Non-GAAP free cash flow increased $2.7 million and non-GAAP free cash flow margin of 12.3%, a decrease of 30 basis points.
Non-GAAP adjusted free cash flow was $213.5 million, an increase of $59.8 million, with non-GAAP adjusted free cash flow margin of 19.3%, an increase of 480 basis points.

Financial Outlook
Blackbaud today announced its 2024 full year financial guidance:

Non-GAAP revenue of $1.170 billion to $1.200 billion
Non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA margin of 32.5% to 33.5%
Non-GAAP earnings per share of $4.12 to $4.38
Non-GAAP adjusted free cash flow of $254 million to $274 million

Included in its 2024 full year financial guidance are the following assumptions:

Non-GAAP annualized effective tax rate is expected to be approximately 24.5%
Interest expense for the year is expected to be approximately $34 million to $38 million
Fully diluted shares for the year are expected to be approximately 53.5 million to 54.5 million
Capital expenditures for the year are expected to be approximately $65 million to $75 million, including approximately $60 million to $70 million of capitalized software and content development costs

Blackbaud has not reconciled forward-looking full-year non-GAAP financial measures contained in this news release to their most directly comparable GAAP measures, as permitted by Item 10(e)(1)(i)(B) of Regulation S-K. Such reconciliations would require unreasonable efforts at this time to estimate and quantify with a reasonable degree of certainty various necessary GAAP components, including for example those related to compensation, acquisition transactions and integration, tax items or others that may arise during the year. These components and other factors could materially impact the amount of the future directly comparable GAAP measures, which may differ significantly from their non-GAAP counterparts.

In order to provide a meaningful basis for comparison, Blackbaud uses non-GAAP adjusted free cash flow in analyzing its operating performance. Non-GAAP adjusted free cash flow is defined as operating cash flow less capital expenditures, including costs required to be capitalized for software and content development, capital expenditures for property and equipment, plus cash outflows, net of insurance, related to the previously disclosed Security Incident discovered in May 2020 (the “Security Incident”). Total costs related to the Security Incident exceeded the limit of our insurance coverage during the first quarter of 2022. For full year 2024, Blackbaud currently expects net cash outlays of $8 million to $13 million for ongoing legal fees related to the Security Incident. In line with the company’s policy, all associated costs due to third-party service providers and consultants, including legal fees, are expensed as incurred. Please refer to the section below titled “Non-GAAP Financial Measures” for more information on Blackbaud’s use of non-GAAP financial measures.

Stock Repurchase Program
As of January 19, 2024, Blackbaud had approximately $499 million remaining under its approved common stock purchase program that was authorized in January 2024.

About Blackbaud
Blackbaud (NASDAQ:BLKB) is the leading software provider exclusively dedicated to powering social impact. Serving the nonprofit and education sectors, companies committed to social responsibility and individual change makers, Blackbaud’s essential software is built to accelerate impact in fundraising, nonprofit financial management, digital giving, grantmaking, corporate social responsibility and education management. With millions of users and over $100 billion raised, granted or managed through Blackbaud platforms every year, Blackbaud’s solutions are unleashing the potential of the people and organizations who change the world. Blackbaud has been named to Newsweek’s list of America’s Most Responsible Companies, Quartz’s list of Best Companies for Remote Workers and Forbes’ list of America’s Best Employers. A remote-first company, Blackbaud has operations in the United States, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica and the United Kingdom, supporting users in 100+ countries. Learn more at www.blackbaud.com, or follow us on X/Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram, and Facebook.

Investor Contact 
IR@blackbaud.com

Media Contact
media@blackbaud.com

Forward-Looking Statements
Except for historical information, all of the statements, expectations, and assumptions contained in this news release are forward-looking statements which are subject to the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, including, but not limited to, statements regarding the predictability of our financial condition and results of operations. These statements involve a number of risks and uncertainties. Although Blackbaud attempts to be accurate in making these forward-looking statements, it is possible that future circumstances might differ from the assumptions on which such statements are based. In addition, other important factors that could cause results to differ materially include the following: management of integration of acquired companies; uncertainty regarding increased business and renewals from existing customers; a shifting revenue mix that may impact gross margin; continued success in sales growth; cybersecurity and data protection risks and related liabilities; potential litigation involving us; and the other risk factors set forth from time to time in the SEC filings for Blackbaud, copies of which are available free of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or upon request from Blackbaud’s investor relations department. Blackbaud assumes no obligation and does not intend to update these forward-looking statements, except as required by law.

Trademarks
All Blackbaud product names appearing herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Blackbaud, Inc.

Non-GAAP Financial Measures
Blackbaud has provided in this release financial information that has not been prepared in accordance with GAAP. Blackbaud uses non-GAAP financial measures internally in analyzing its operational performance. Accordingly, Blackbaud believes these non-GAAP measures are useful to investors, as a supplement to GAAP measures, in evaluating its ongoing operational performance and trends and in comparing its financial results from period-to-period with other companies in Blackbaud’s industry, many of which present similar non-GAAP financial measures to investors. However, these non-GAAP financial measures may not be completely comparable to similarly titled measures of other companies due to potential differences in the exact method of calculation between companies.

The non-GAAP financial measures discussed above exclude the impact of certain transactions that Blackbaud believes are not directly related to its operating performance in any particular period, but are for its long-term benefit over multiple periods. Blackbaud believes these non-GAAP financial measures reflect its ongoing business in a manner that allows for meaningful period-to-period comparisons and analysis of trends in its business.

While Blackbaud believes these non-GAAP measures provide useful supplemental information, non-GAAP financial measures should not be considered in isolation from, or as a substitute for, financial information prepared in accordance with GAAP. Investors are encouraged to review the reconciliations of these non-GAAP measures to their most directly comparable GAAP financial measures.

Beginning in 2024, we intend to update the non-GAAP tax rate we apply when calculating non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share in future periods. Since the first quarter of 2018, for the purposes of determining non-GAAP net income, we have utilized a non-GAAP tax rate of 20.0% in our calculation of the assumed non-GAAP income tax provision. We intend to adjust this rate to 24.5% to better reflect our periodic effective tax rate calculated in accordance with GAAP and our current expectations. The increase in our non-GAAP tax rate is primarily driven by increases in income tax rates in jurisdictions we operate in. Furthermore, as profitability increases, the effect of tax impacting items, including research and development credits, lessens such that our assumed non-GAAP tax rate moves closer to the statutory rate. The non-GAAP tax rate utilized in future periods will be reviewed annually to determine whether it remains appropriate in consideration of our financial results including our periodic effective tax rate calculated in accordance with GAAP, our operating environment and related tax legislation in effect and other factors deemed necessary. All fourth quarter and full year 2023 measures of the tax impact related to non-GAAP net income and non-GAAP diluted earnings per share included in this news release are calculated under Blackbaud’s historical methodology.

Non-GAAP free cash flow is defined as operating cash flow less capital expenditures, including costs required to be capitalized for software and content development, and capital expenditures for property and equipment. In addition, and in order to provide a meaningful basis for comparison, Blackbaud now uses non-GAAP adjusted free cash flow in analyzing its operating performance. Non-GAAP adjusted free cash flow is defined as operating cash flow less capital expenditures, including costs required to be capitalized for software and content development, and capital expenditures for property and equipment, plus cash outflows, net of insurance, related to the Security Incident. Blackbaud believes non-GAAP free cash flow and non-GAAP adjusted free cash flow provide useful measures of the company’s operating performance. Non-GAAP adjusted free cash flow is not intended to represent and should not be viewed as the amount of residual cash flow available for discretionary expenditures.

In addition, Blackbaud uses non-GAAP organic revenue growth, non-GAAP organic revenue growth on a constant currency basis, non-GAAP organic recurring revenue growth and non-GAAP organic recurring revenue growth on a constant currency basis, in analyzing its operating performance. Blackbaud believes that these non-GAAP measures are useful to investors, as a supplement to GAAP measures, for evaluating the periodic growth of its business on a consistent basis. Each of these measures excludes incremental acquisition-related revenue attributable to companies acquired in the current fiscal year. For companies acquired in the immediately preceding fiscal year, each of these measures reflects presentation of full-year incremental non-GAAP revenue derived from such companies as if they were combined throughout the prior period. In addition, each of these measures excludes prior period revenue associated with divested businesses. The exclusion of the prior period revenue is to present the results of the divested businesses within the results of the combined company for the same period of time in both the prior and current periods. Blackbaud believes this presentation provides a more comparable representation of its current business’ organic revenue growth and revenue run-rate.

Rule of 40 is defined as non-GAAP organic revenue growth plus non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA margin. Non-GAAP adjusted EBITDA is defined as GAAP net income plus interest, net; income tax provision (benefit); depreciation; amortization of intangible assets from business combinations; amortization of software and content development costs; stock-based compensation; employee severance; acquisition and disposition-related costs; restructuring and other real estate activities; costs, net of insurance, related to the Security Incident; and impairment of capitalized software development costs.

Full story available on Benzinga.com